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Crémieux
@cremieuxrecueil
As of 2024, over 90% of Americans have air conditioning and that includes 98% of new single-family homes. This compares to 19% penetration in Europe as of 2022.
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Crémieux
@cremieuxrecueil
I've seen people mentioning that Europe's heat-related death issue is larger than American gun violence—true! But people neglect saying how many heat-related deaths America has. Approximately 1% of what Europe does even though America is hotter and Americans are less healthy!
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David Watson 🥑
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Paul Midler 孟天
@paulmidler
Last time I was in Europe, French woman told me “we’re afraid of becoming Italy,” and in Italy many (rightly) suspect they are living in a third-world country.
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Shababubba
@Laurentians_
During the 2021 PNW Heat Dome, Canada had a higher death toll, with at least 808 deaths compared to the U.S.’s approx 99 deaths. Canada’s death toll was 8 times higher per capita (65/m vs. 8/m) AC saves lives!
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Jason
@JasonWilsonFL
But wut, that can’t be right. 5x just seems wrong, so it must be. You should challenge your data. I’m a really smart effective altruist, with a PhD in Philosophy and my senses are much more fine tuned than any statistical analysis. -Stefan Schubert, probably.
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Incitatus
@Dominanski
Not having AC is a fetish among european greens, but there are also other factors at play. Lower humidity, stone construction etc…
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Aggressively Middle-of-the-Road
@buzzingbeetome
Much of the answer is humidity—the US east coast has a ton of it, Europe less so. You gotta have it in high humidity areas. Europe is comparable to California and Western states. Notice how the AC rates are lower there too.
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Thomas Stephens
@t_a_stephens
I doubt it’s an economic issue. Air conditioning is cheap, but construction is different (with better natural cooling and less suitability for central heating/cooling), there are a lot of historic buildings, heating methods are different (so can’t be shared with air
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SMH
@SMH3770
I used to try and be frugal and tough it out with window fan units. Problem is homes these days aren't designed for air flow and once I got solar I said F it and now run these bitches 24/7
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Populus Necator
@Johnrjayatl
The rise in obesity is concurrent with this trend. Before air conditioning, in the South, people would sit under a shade tree and basically sweat during the summer. The house was too hot and especially so when cooking. You burn a lot of calories sweating particularly fat
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EdReal
@Ed_Realist
I do not see how this is true. Perhaps the average of the averages is 90%, but California alone fucks with this stat. There is no fucking way that California is 90% air-conditioned and I don't see how you get 90% of the US if California is maybe 60-70%.
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🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱Iswearimnotbrown🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱
@RameshBotha
We get like ten 30C< days a year or so. I don't understand why some Spaniards don't have AC, but 80% of Europe just doesn't need it.
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A Creature
@sneedofeedoando
Curious to know what the heat related death rate was in pre air conditioning south. If it's 95f with 70% humidity it's probably not a good environment to get much done safely.
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ZoMa
@ZoMaIdI
I can't seem to find the number anywhere, but I'm not sure the majority of heat deaths occur with people remaining in residential housing.
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Walker
@WalPerMott
Don't remember who said it but "the home Air Conditioner is the most important piece of medical technology in human history" (paraphrasing because it's been years since I've heard the quote)
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Free Bird
@FreeBirdonX
The thing I love most about going to Europe is my wife has no choice but to wear skimpy pajama shorts because of the lack of ac, instead of the baggy unflattering long sleeve pajamas she wears in the US. I wish we had less ac in America.
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Rosie
@fmp_rosie
Some of the difference is cultural. Americans have things because they can, not because they need. As evidenced by the proliferation of leaf blowers howling on the tiny front lawns of Queens.
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Doug
@RockDocDoug
But I thought everyone in Europe lives in medieval housing built in the 1100s and so they arent compatible with AC installation
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Zamyatinfan
@Zamyatinfan
Indifference to AC in Britain isn’t surprising. We need it maybe five days a year. But making it effectively illegal is insane. In the more southerly parts of Europe, AC is essential, and opposition to it is ideology-driven madness. But then, so is banning nuclear power.
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