Extreme heat: Cranking up the AC is only one solution | Opinion

There has been a lot of public dialogue recently about air conditioning as a solution to extreme heat. And like most debates, the conversation tends to live in the extremes: it’s either good or bad.

The truth is, AC is one solution among many. There is no silver bullet that will mitigate the risks of extreme heat, though it is very human to look for one.

Air conditioning does strain on our current grid. It emits heat directly into the environment, creating a cumulative effect in urban areas and add to the urban heat island. It is simply not feasible to air condition the entire world.

There are many sustainable, effective approaches to heat exposure that do not rely upon air conditioning. We should use them. However, we also must accept the growing number of circumstances where temperatures exceed the effectiveness of these interventions. In these circumstances, air condition is not a luxury. It is a life-saving necessity.

So how do we reconcile the need for air conditioning to provide a safe living environment with the admittedly challenging issues that universal AC presents?

We should prioritize getting air conditioning to those most vulnerable in areas with the highest exposure to heat. Programs that provide air conditioning units to identified at-risk populations, coupled with energy affordability programs, may save a trip to the emergency department, even save a life. Making sure that residents know about and can access federal programs, like LIHEAP, is critical, but supporting local efforts to provide air conditioning to residents is also crucial.

Energy affordability is critical to increasing access to air conditioning. Someone may own an air conditioning unit but can’t afford to run it. Increasing water and energy costs may force people to choose between food, medicine, or other necessities and paying for basic services like water or energy. Utility shut offs during extreme heat events should be banned, as they are during cold weather events. Accessibility is not only about physical access to an air conditioning unit, but about having the ability to pay for it as well. A person shouldn’t pay with their life during extreme events because they can’t afford life-saving energy costs.

We should also consider ways to supplement air conditioning use. Shading with trees can help, as can the use of cool roofing — which uses materials that reflect more sunlight than conventional roofing and absorb less solar energy. Both methods reduce demand for air conditioning by lowering on-the-ground temperatures. This means that indoor spaces can be cooled more efficiently, and air conditioning units run less. It also lowers the cost of cooling our living spaces, addressing some of the affordability challenges, and it improves the outdoor environments in many urban spaces.

And finally, we need to teach the public how to supplement air conditioning with extreme heat life hacks — like fans, cool showers or immersing arms and feet to lower core body temperatures. Don’t wait until the power goes out to think about how to cool down without air conditioning.

We’ve taught the public the importance of severe weather preparedness kits that include candles and flashlights and non-perishable food. But have we taught them how to stay cool when the power goes out? We need a stop, drop and roll campaign for heat safety so that heat mitigation practices become a normal part of our lives during the ever-growing heat season.

Our approaches to extreme heat need to be comprehensive with air conditioning being one tool among many in the toolbox. Air conditioning is a life-saving intervention, and it also has its limitations. And those of us writing from our air-conditioned rooms need to stop telling others who are sweating it out with a box fan that air conditioning isn’t a solution.

This story was originally published August 2, 2023 at 9:11 AM with the headline "Extreme heat: Cranking up the AC is only one solution | Opinion."