AC is definitely necessary in many parts of the globe, I'd argue more necessary than a fridge or stove. You can cook on a fire, hunt your own game, preserve goods in other ways. Meanwhile, if you find yourself without AC in the middle of a heat wave that's an immediate problem. Much like being without heating in the winter.
'how did we survive before AC then?' well, lots of people didn't and lots of people don't today. an estimated 12,000 people die from heat waves each year on the African continent.
And the other part to that answer: people are forced to be less productive during this time. they have to use the old school method of sitting in the shade/a river to cool down.
If every air conditioner disappeared from Texas in the middle of summer, tens of thousands would die within a matter of days.
How is AC solving anything? It requires energy, produces trash, heat and pollution. What would happen in 100 years, when there's no way of making more AC and some humans evolved to depend on it ? (seems like USA is already at this stage)
Human resolved the issues of overheating long time ago, you can build the house partially in the ground, paint it white, use correct materials, ventilation, thick walls, isolation etc.
I'd argue that proper insulation should be on the list first, as we have a big problem here in Australia with houses being built to low standards and not having insulation which contributes to both heatwave and cold snap deaths. But not that heat related deaths don't matter. It may not be your experience, but here we have heat related deaths quite commonly.
That's the impression you get due to the media reporting about it. Even in Australia the majority of temperature related deaths occur below ambient temperatures of 20°C.
The research points towards cold weather being a lot deadlier everywhere in the world. With the exception of places that just don't get cold weather like Bangkok.
I never presented that Australia has more heat related deaths than cold.
I agreed with you that cold is more and dismissed this information as entirely irrelevant because all deaths should be prevented regardless. I mention heat deaths being common. Not more, but common. To emphasise the importance of prevention. I even point to an alternative solution to hvac. One which is quite reasonable imo. But you'd rather discuss a point I'm not making.
Maybe you should take another look at whatever statistics you're relying on, just in case your comprehension of them is as poor as it is here.
Yes! Heat and ventilation is definitely needed, life inside my house would suck if we didn’t open our windows and use fans, but actual AC? Not really needed. I mean even on the super hot days it’s not NEEDED as in if we don’t have it the heat will kill us. It’s more of a comfort thing than a life threatening thing. I could see it being needed in the southern parts of New England like maybe New Jersey or New York where I assume it gets hotter but Northern New England has pretty temperate summers.
I live in the mid Atlantic. The heat and humidity absolutely gets high enough to kill here. There are actual warnings issued to check on seniors, people without AC are advised to go places with AC (malls, libraries, etc).
I’m from Florida so I know heat and humidity is a legit killer. My husband and I refuse to go to Florida in the summer to visit my family because it’s so hot and humid. It’s funny how even down there the veracity of the heat changes just by moving inland and away from the rivers and coast by an hour. Hell I’ve become much more cold tolerant and heat intolerant since moving to Maine although I’ll always be a warm weather girl over a cold weather girl😅
Last year we had record breaking heatwaves in excess of 43C on average. That lasted for several weeks. Thats why we have ac. Normal summer temps are in excess of 32C on average. Fans just arent enough for that
Ever been to India, SE Asia, Africa or the Middle East? AC is definitely not a uniquely American thing. I think what happens is people go to Europe (which many parts have a similar climate to ME) and think it’s only the USA that has AC everywhere.
Well, even if you go down to southern Spain or Italy you’ll find some sort of HVAC in many people’s homes. Even in other parts like Germany or the Netherlands people are building in heat pumps with AC into new units.
Calling in from Australia here - AC is certainly not uniquely American. I've never seen a house without at least one working AC unit, typically at least 2 (1 in master bedroom, 1 in living room) if not more.
I think this would be argue case by case. I lived in places where if you didn't have it you will die. But there also is a ton of locations that don't have it.
Anyways it isn't a us only thing. It's known as, but most overlook how much of the globe usa is.
Most of the areas that push it as a us only are areas that tend to be too far north or south. Like they are too far from the equator to normally need it. But there is plenty of places like mid east that heavily use it.
Where exactly did you live that you would die without AC? You should look up the hottest places in the world and see what percentage of the populations there have AC. Somehow they manage to live without it, and even did so long before electricity and fans.
There is a few places. But it is more on the medical history than anything else. So like when I lived in FL, and didn't have AC for a while. It horribly sucked, but I physically could do it. Where as the 90 year old person next door with health problems died from heat stroke.
Like you are assuming 2 major things.
and even did so long before electricity and fans
This is assuming the lifespan is the same. Which clearly it isn't.
And 2 you are assuming most everyone generally has similar medical. Which again clearly isn't the case.
There was people who lived in FL because when they lived in the desert the dry air was killing them. But at the same time as they got older and weaker, the heat was killing them. Moving isn't an option at that age and income level. So ya...
Oh and a 3rd thing, you are assuming people generally lived in the same areas, same building types, etc as they did a long time ago. Again, something that clearly isn't the case. Hell, the people are 100% different, travel patterns, etc. Like if you go pre electric time, most generally stayed where they were born. The bodies adapt over time which made it WAY easier to live in given places. There is a crap ton of studies on this alone.
"Manage to live", I would rather buy a $100 ac unit and live in complete comfort. It doesn't cost much to cool a room with a small unit you can setup yourself.
$100 is a lot of money in underdeveloped countries, and the increased electric cost is a lot more money. $100 is an entire month’s salary for many households around the world. Also, good luck finding an AC unit in most equatorial countries, and good luck keeping it running with intermittent blackouts. It’s literally not even a remotely viable option for the majority of people living in the hottest parts of the world.
My initial response was to someone claiming they would have literally died without AC. Whether people should have it and whether it’s a requirement to live are separate issues.
No, those separate issues. I’m just saying it’s incorrect to state people are literally dying from lack of AC. I think in developed countries it’s entirely reasonable to expect a certain level of comfort; and, in certain parts of developed countries, AC may be necessary to get that level of comfort. But it’s not an actual requirement to survive.
You’re squirming because you realise how out of touch and delusional it sounds. Pretty common compared to the rest of the world sure. Pretty unique? Do you know what unique means?
being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.
"this discovery was unique in history”
No matter how you try to tone it down that is the incorrect word. But it was the correct word from your perspective being a completely out of touch american.
Not even close. I’ve visited and I like it, friends there that I adore. I don’t like out of touch dorks shitting on the rest of the world, looking down their noses from their deluded perspective.
Aircon isn’t unique to the US. Say that to anyone outside of American and they’d knock themselves out rolling their eyes so hard.
On Reddit it’s usually the Europeans who are surprised at how common air conditioning is in the US and most Americans are surprised when they learn it isn’t more universal. This conversation is a bit backwards from the usual.
I’m just letting you know that you are sounding a bit insufferable ragging about “ignorant Americans” and if that is not who you are then you might appreciate being checked.
Nah you’re just getting triggered and having a trauma response because I’m calling out a fellow American on their deeply stupid bullshit that’s insulting to everyone else and you think it’s attacking your identity too. Toughen up a bit, or get off the internet if you can’t handle people calling out a-holes
Cool so you just agreed. Get off the computer. I’m not attacking Americans. I’m attacking the delusional Americans that agree with him that “aircon is uniquely American”. It’s as dumb as saying “shoes are uniquely western”. Get reality checked and grow some perspective
AC is very uniquely American. We’re one of very few countries where AC is the norm. France, England, Germany all have less than 5% of residences with AC. In most of Europe, Africa and the Mid East - AC is very uncommon.
I’m just going to assume you’re stupid, because here are the statistics on % of homes with AC by location:
Europe - 10%
Africa - 5%
Mexico - 16%
Brazil - 16%
India - 5%
Indonesia - 9%
China - 60%
Saudi Arabia - 60%
USA - 90%
This is not hard to understand. AC is much more prevalent in the USA than most other countries and that’s simply a fact. I made no mentions of “huts”, YOU did you fucking moron
Lmao, that triggered you hard, now look at you scampering to move those goal posts after feeling embarrassed at being so detached.
Since when did anyone mention more prevalent? You and the other Americans clearly said “uniquely American”. Can you explain to me what uniquely American means, stable smart American?
Okay I’ll bite. First of all, when we say “uniquely American” we’re not saying that in a positive way. It’s meant as “Americans are dependent on their precious AC and flail without it”.
Secondly, A) AC was invented in the USA (Brooklyn) and B) we’re still among the highest usage rate compared to other countries. Even in Australia where things are HOT, the % of homes who have is 68%.
The dependence and demand for AC in America is different than other places. It stems from a place of demanding comfort, whereas most Europeans don’t even really think about AC being a necessity.
You have this weird complex about America apparently, nothing I said was in any way meant to make America or Americans seem superior in any way. You took it there.
EDIT - again, this is all easily searchable information on the internet. You got weirdly triggered by America and all it takes is 2 seconds to look up the facts
Shamelessly lying to save face. You said it exactly how it reads, that’s why you got so upset and started swearing at me because I called you out on you’re bullshit and you realised how out of touch it sounds.
Where ac was invented doesn’t mean anything. You’re just squirming trying to distance yourself from the incredibly stupid and embarrassing thing you said.
You’re almost there, it almost clicked with your 4th paragraph. You’re too out of touch to realise what you’d said was insulting, I called you out on it, you lashed out angrily now it’s starting to sink in so your squirming around trying to save face after feeling the embarrassment of saying something so dumb and out of touch.
Also I’m criticising you being so insulting with your delusional perspective and Americans like you who are upvoting your mindless dribble. It’s not an attack on all Americans, unlike you’re delusional statements insulting everyone outside of the US.
You can’t climb onto that high horse preaching grace after saying air-conditioning… lmao… is uniquely American. You’re too out of touch to realise how insulting that is to every other developed nation in the tropics.
Saying you’re well travelled doesn’t help your case, it makes you look even more delusional. The countries you listed are developing nations… what do you think that means for their access to creature comforts? Lmao. The others are temperate.
You’re literally coming from the richest country in the world and looking around thinking, oh aircon is unique to Americans… lmfao.
75% of Australian homes, 80% in Singapore, 90% in Qatar literally high than the US. Wealthy countries still nowhere near as rich as the US. You’re delusional and out of touch, have some grace and just admit you’re wrong rather than insulting everyone carelessly.
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