As a heatwave sweeps across the American west (I’ve been specifically reading stories about Arizona recently), I can’t help but think of my recent trip to Maine. We entered plenty of restaurants who did NOT have air conditioning. We even had to use a specific filter when searching for a house on Airbnb to ensure we had AC for our stay. And to us Southerners, this is just an abomination. Because of course you should have air conditioning. It’s summer, people! Why would you not have it?
But then I was listening to the latest episode of Cortex earlier this week, and they started talking about the lack of air conditioning in England. Same problem I experienced in Maine. Same problem I’ve experienced across most of the northern states in the U.S. (Washington, the state, I’m looking at you!)
And this brings me to the question that I ask all the time? Why in god’s name do these places not have air conditioning? And I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just hubris at this point. “We don’t need air conditioning, so we’re just not going to have it…” is what I hear these people saying. As if they have seen absolutely no news about the potential risks of heatwaves. Even as they are experiencing it. It just makes no sense.
One of my favorite quotes from the Cortex episode came from Grey:
I just wonder, like, 50 years from now, people are still going to be talking how England doesn’t have infrastructure to handle the heat. And I’m just like ‘Build it! Build it this way, guys.’
Preach.
Myke did offer an explanation that would make sense for not retro-fitting existing buildings:
Our homes and buildings are built to retain heat. Our humidity is very high. Nowhere has air conditioning.
Existing infrastructure may not be feasible, but to Grey’s point, new buildings have no excuse. (Full disclosure, Myke did just purchase a portable air conditioner for their home, as it’s routinely around high 30’s C, which is roughly around 100 F these days.)
I should also mention that when Jayme and I lived in Paris way back in 2003 (where did those 20 years go?!), we experienced the hottest summer Paris has ever seen. It was ridiculously hot. And humid. And miserable.
People even died from this particular heatwave, because the infrastructure was not set up for heat at that extreme. From a 2022 article in Le Monde:
The summer of 2003 remains the hottest ever recorded with a temperature anomaly of +2.7°C. The heat wave that summer led to the death of 15,000 people.
And yet, Jayme and I insisted on a rolling AC in the apartment we rented. Why? Because where we grew up (and lived then) practically required the presence of an AC.
