Preface  Introduction: Climate and the History of Man  1. We Are What We Eat  2. What to Wear?  3. A Roof Overhead   4. Your time or Mine?   5. Individualism and Collectivism  6. Embrace of Technology and Dominion over Nature  Conclusion

Sheth’s interest in how climate influences consumption reaches back to 1955, but it became particularly focused during his research for Coca Cola International, which wanted to know why some countries drink a lot of Coca Cola and others do not. Some countries were drinking Coke at the rate of 64 bottles per capita annually, while others’ consumption was a rate of 400 bottles per capita. Why? He discovered that consumption can be explained by the North-South latitude difference in climate, ranging from the arctic to the temperate to tropical. Part one of his book analyzes the relationship between climate and consumption, specifically the consumption of the basic necessities of life—food, clothing, and shelter. In part two he explores the role climate plays in shaping culture itself. Based on his research, Sheth recommends studying local conditions and either adapting products accordingly or creating new ones that members of the local culture find appealing.

"Jag Sheth's Climate, Culture and Consumption is an intriguing treasure trove of insights about how climate has effected human civilization, evolution, food consumption, health, clothing, housing, family structure, sense of time and space, cooperation versus competition, and much more. If Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel was insightful in explaining the rise and fall of human cultures, Sheth's CCC is equally insightful in explaining everything from how much Coca Cola we drink (his starting point) to what we wear, where the Industrial Revolution began, and why some people handle alcohol better than others. It sparkles with brilliant observations and will be hard to put down."