
<p>Climate scientist Stan Cox is calling on all Americans to do their part in the fight against global warming by turning off their air conditioners during hot summer months. </p>



<p>“The greenhouse gases created by the roughly 90% of American households that own AC units mean that running them even in balmy temperatures is making the climate crisis worse,” argues Cox, author of <em>Losing Our Cool: Uncomfortable Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World</em> and <em>The Green New Deal and Beyond: Ending the Climate Emergency While We Still Can.</em></p>



<p>“The climate impact of air conditioning and refrigeration, which together already account for more than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions from all sources, is expected to double in the next 25 years,” wrote Cox in a June 2024 article. “If that happens, the world’s nations will be thrown even further off track when it comes to fulfilling their pledge to meet UN climate goals.”</p>



<p>Cox, who refers to this cooling/heating catch-22 as “the feedback loop from hell,” has personally sweated through 25 summers without air conditioning. Instead, Cox and his wife use electric fans and frequently spray their bodies with water. “A quick, cold shower or a little time spent with that all-American favorite, the lawn sprinkler, also can bring relief,&#8221; says Cox. </p>



<p>The overuse of air conditioning has also had a negative impact on society, explains Cox: “Front porches, yards, sidewalks, playgrounds, and parks that abounded with human life on pleasant 80-degree evenings before the era of ubiquitous air conditioning are now largely deserted for much of the summer.” </p>



<p>Another thing Americans can do to reduce their carbon footprint, suggests Cox, is avoid using humidity-producing utilities like dishwashers and keep refrigerators at the highest possible temperature to avoid food spoilage. </p>



<p><strong>Eventually, he insists, most people can become accustomed to life without AC. </strong></p>



<p>“Our species evolved, biologically and culturally, under wildly varying climate conditions, and we haven’t lost that ability to adapt. Research suggests that when we spend more time in warm or hot summer weather, we can start feeling comfortable at temperatures that once felt insufferable.”</p>



<p><em>Stan Cox began his science career with the US Department of Agriculture and now serves as the Ecosphere Fellow at the Land Institute. In addition to his beef with air conditioning, Cox has described the US military as an “enemy” in the fight against global warming. </em></p>



<p><strong>Author’s Note: </strong>Regardless of the facts, asking millions of people to forgo air conditioning is not a practical or safe solution &#8211; especially as large parts of the world continue to experience dangerous heat waves. Cox himself admits that his AC-avoiding strategies will not work for everyone. He and his wife are fortunate enough to live in a small town in Kansas with ample shade trees, plenty of nearby parks, and a cool basement.</p>



<p><strong>Sources:</strong><br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/scientist-calls-americans-cut-off-air-conditioning-summer-claiming-causes-global-warming">Scientist calls for Americans to cut off air conditioning in summer, claiming it causes global warming </a><br><a href="https://www.resilience.org/resilience-author/stan-cox/">Stan Cox Official Website (Resilience) </a><br><a href="https://www.resilience.org/stories/2024-06-13/air-conditioning-cant-live-with-it-cant-live-without-it/">Air Conditioning Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without It</a></p>

Climate Scientist: Would you give up AC to save the planet?
