Exactly this! There was a good TED talk by Hans Rosling saying, basically, people in developing economies want washing machines (just like you). That is why

Exactly this! There was a good TED talk by Hans Rosling saying, basically, people in developing economies want washing machines (just like you). That is why I suspect the only solutions to climate change are: * Develop an energy source which has a lower-cost and equal practicality to carbon-emitting sources, or * Find a way to mitigate the effects of carbon emissions. Otherwise, conservation in rich countries is just going to be replaced by consumption of the now cheaper oil/coal in developing ones. I don't think it is realistic to ask people with far fewer conveniences (washing machines) to abandon their hopes of a better life by conserving (if people won't give up private jets, can you really expect much poorer people to give up more necessary conveniences?)