A scientist is urging Americans to stop using air conditioning after refusing to use it for 25 years in the middle of summer to combat climate change.
Stan Cox is an Ecosphere Fellow at the Land Institute who also believes the U.S. military is an “enemy” in climate change mitigation. He wrote a guest essay in the New York Times on Saturday, “I Swore Off Air Conditioning — and You Can, Too,” in which he claims that “air conditioning is making our summers even hotter” because of climate change.
“Greenhouse gases created by the roughly 90 percent of American households that own air conditioning units mean that running them even in comfortable temperatures is worsening the climate crisis,” Cox wrote.
The scientist described drastic measures to stay cool in the summer, such as using the lawn sprinkler and spending most summer days on the porch, in the park or somewhere else away from the stifling heat of your home.
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Climate scientist Stan Cox has called on Americans to stop using air conditioning in the summer months to combat climate change. (iStock)
“When it's too hot, we splash water lightly on our arms, legs and face; the water helps dissipate much of the heat. A quick, cold shower or spending some time with that American favorite, the lawn sprinkler, can also be soothing,” she said.
Cox and his wife rely on electric fans, which he says are free of “refrigerants that amplify air conditioning's contribution to global warming.”
In addition to reducing air conditioning consumption, Cox minimizes the use of appliances that can contribute to heat.
“We also turn off other appliances and gadgets as much as possible because they also generate heat. Dishwashers are a double problem as they generate heat and humidity. We don't have one,” he said.
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“We also kept other appliances and devices turned off as much as possible because they also generate heat,” the scientist explained. (Adobe Stock)
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Your refrigerator is set to the lowest possible temperature.
“You can't unplug the fridge, of course, but we keep ours set to just under 40 degrees,” he said.
For those who think this is too drastic a measure, Cox believes they will get used to living without air conditioning.
“Our species evolved, biologically and culturally, under highly variable climatic conditions, and we have not lost that ability to adapt. Research suggests that when we spend more time in a warm or hot climate in the summer, we can start to feel comfortable at temperatures that we previously found unbearable. That's the key to reducing our dependence on air conditioning: the less we use it, the easier it is to live without it,” he said.
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Cox did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
