Lifestyles in Canada and Mexico - Research Paper Example

Lifestyles are outcomes of several factors present in the environment or location of a group of people including geography, weather, population, economy, government, and available natural and man-made resources. All these factors affect the kind of lifestyle that will develop among the people. Geography and weather determines the activities that people do. These activities include work, hobbies and entertainment. Weather dictates the structure of houses, the way of dressing and the abundance of certain kinds of food.

Weather along with geography likewise determines the resources available. Economy and population controls the number and types of jobs available. Economy regulates the consumption and leisure activities of individuals. The government shapes the kinds of activities that the people are allowed to do. Both public and private endeavors are affected by the kind of control the government has on its people. The kind of lifestyle that the citizens practice reflects a great deal about a country and its status within the global arena.

It reveals the economic stability or instability of a country and the degree of general satisfaction that the citizens of a country have. The country with the most favorable lifestyle is determined by the Human Development Index (HDI) of the United Nations Development Program, which is published annually. The Human Development Index ranks countries according to the quality of life of its citizens which include criteria such as educational attainment, life expectancy and adjusted real income (Most and Least Livable Countries: UN Human Development Index, 2006).

According to the HDI for 2006, Canada ranked sixth and Mexico ranked fifty-third (Human Development Report 2006). Canada, ranking high in quality of life indicates a high economic ranking in the global arena. Provision of free education to all its citizens, availability of a large supply and variety of goods like food and clothing, and provision of high disposable incomes to family earners by both public and private are indicators of a stable and booming economy. Mexico on the other hand is not as economically secure as Canada.

There are schools which are government funded but are not enough for everyone so some are forced or by choice enroll their children in private schools which are really expensive (Guide to living in Mexico). Not all consumer goods are affordable in Mexico. Consumer items like appliances, clothing, computers, audio/visual equipment, and cars are relatively more expensive in Mexico as compared to Canada. The benchmark used is the value of money against the cost of the goods mentioned for each country.

Automobiles and real estate are also expensive in Mexico. Unlike in Canada, because of the high disposable incomes of the people and the relative affordable costs of automobiles and real estate, they can afford reasonably large homes in low-density areas and highly stylish and functional cars (Connections: Canadian Lifestyle Choices and the Environment, 2005). Canadians are very mobile because of their ready access to private automobiles. Public transportation meanwhile is more popular and more practical in Mexico.

Public transportation is made affordable in Me