Private Sector Wealth: Quarterly Estimates for use in an Aggregate Model*

The paper presents some estimates of private-sector wealth in Australia for the 1958-75 period. Basically, we have attempted to consolidate the balance sheets of all sectors, except the government and the foreign sector. Different procedures have been used for the various components of private-sector wealth and estimates are presented for real assets of the household sector (dwellings, motor vehicles and consumer durables), for fixed assets and inventories of the business sector, and for government liabilities to the private sector. Broadly, the data indicate that over the 1958-75 period, private wealth grew faster than population but slower than output and business capital stock. Dwellings and motor vehicles were the fastest growing components of private wealth. Reflecting the rise in the share of foreign claims on businesses in Australia, the Australian claims on business assets increased at a slower rate than the increase in the business-capital stock.     

HOME LAUNDERING PART I. AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LAUNDERING SOILED TEXTILES

The washing performance of a popular U.K. detergent product has been evaluated at two different temperatures. The results are discussed in terms of potential energy savings which can be achieved by washing at cooler temperatures and the acceptability of the clean laundry as determined by a panel of consumers.     

FAMILY LIFESTYLE AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION: AN ENERGY ADAPTATION MODEL*

The premise of the paper is that family energy consumption is a consequence of family lifestyle. To facilitate the development of policies that allow families to make satisfactory lifestyle choices as energy resources decline, we explore in detail the relationship between family lifestyle and energy consumption. A model is developed to illustrate the decision making processes that link individual and family behaviour patterns with energy consumption. A series of propositions is derived from the model that relates family values, family effectiveness and family decision making to energy prices, energy conservation adoption, attitude formation and family lifestyle changes. The model can be used by public and private decision makers to identify research and consumer information programs that will facilitate adoption of more energy efficient lifestyles.