We’ve discussed causes of obesity before. Poor quality food, too much time spent surfing the web and watching TV. But what about something older and more discreet, AIR CONDITIONING.
Why can we spend hours on the web, making inane forum posts like this one, or watch every Star Wars movie from baby Anakin to the death of the Emperor because we’re comfortable.
I am sitting here in southern Louisiana and my A/C is on the fritz. I am sweating my balls off. Would we really spend so much time indoors if it was always this damn uncomfortable? Or would we go outside? Once outdoors would a person put their efforts to more productive goals?
I would like to hear your opinions.
Until then I am heading out. The apartment pool needs cleaning, and I feel today is a good day for a 100 pull-up challenge.
A/C is definitely an enabler. I know I despise being outside for any length of time, especially at this time of year. Every little outside task is a major job with the heat being as miserable as it is. I get more done during the cooler months, and I almost look forward to doing them. Once the temp gets over 85, forget it. It’s just oppressive after that. Bujo, you know just what I mean.
Funny to see this thread here and now. I was just thinking about going for a swim, because it is a solid 85 degrees outside, sunny and pleasant. But, as soon as I went back indoors, the level of comfort just kind of dissolved the thought of swimming.
I imagine you folks from Louisiana get that sticky torturous heat in the high 90s. See, I’ve never minded 90+ temperatures in California, because it’s all dry heat, which I can live with, in fact, I enjoy it quite a bit. Of course, the hotter it is, the less time I am likely to want to be outside, but it’s not torture.
I’m concerned about those ‘big box stores.’ The country is full of Wal-Marts and Targets with enormous indoor spaces [think about how high those ceilings are] and they feel like about 72 degrees inside sometimes. Think of how much pollution is thrown into your lungs from the power that is required to keep that much volume that cold.
Between the sun, the rain, and the humidity it is just hot muggy outdoors. Fortunately the way my apartment complex is built I have a breezeway that’s great for training. Stays fairly dry during the rains, and on days like today there is a constant breeze so at least it feels cool. Of course being soaking wet from my dip in the pool helps out a lot.
Captain Glanton makes a good point. I know my utilities bill increases 100% during the summer, and I would wager a months pay that it is directly related to A/C usage. The older A/C systems using R12 Freon certainly weren’t doing the environment any favors, nor ourselves. The new freon is a bit kinder, but were still sucking down tons of fuel trying to keep things kool.
[quote]Captain Glanton wrote:
I’m concerned about those ‘big box stores.’ The country is full of Wal-Marts and Targets with enormous indoor spaces [think about how high those ceilings are] and they feel like about 72 degrees inside sometimes. Think of how much pollution is thrown into your lungs from the power that is required to keep that much volume that cold.[/quote]
I wonder if there is some support to the idea that you are more likely to buy something if it is colder in the environment. I say this because some of those stores aren’t just air conditioned, they are downright chilly.
But, the other thought is that, such a large building must have some tendency to be naturally cooler. I can’t imagine they are particularly well insulated when they are so large, during the night they probably get very cold? maybe…
Still though, that doesn’t change the fact that every giant walmart has its rooftops absolutely crammed with giant industrial air conditioning units…
The lame thing is that it is not like it is that hard to construct a building that more efficiently stores and releases heat. But so many strip malls and shopping centers sprout up based on what is convenient of the roads/landscape, versus actually trying to work with the landscape to make a more efficient building.
For a major company like wal-mart, they are not at all interested in spending an extra couple million dollars on all their stores, even if it means saving a couple million in the long run…
[quote]Malevolence wrote:
I wonder if there is some support to the idea that you are more likely to buy something if it is colder in the environment. I say this because some of those stores aren’t just air conditioned, they are downright chilly.
[/quote]
Certainly, if you are uncomfortable, you are more likely to buy what you need and leave. They predicate much of their business on getting you to browse through the store and pick up items that you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them.
[quote]Malevolence wrote:
Funny to see this thread here and now. I was just thinking about going for a swim, because it is a solid 85 degrees outside, sunny and pleasant. But, as soon as I went back indoors, the level of comfort just kind of dissolved the thought of swimming.
I imagine you folks from Louisiana get that sticky torturous heat in the high 90s. See, I’ve never minded 90+ temperatures in California, because it’s all dry heat, which I can live with, in fact, I enjoy it quite a bit. Of course, the hotter it is, the less time I am likely to want to be outside, but it’s not torture.
[/quote]
Yeah, Cali is way more comfortable in the summer, especially on the coast, and even in Death Valley. I can remember being in the desert in 110 temp with an almost cool breeze constantly blowing. Plus you can actually cool off in the shade there. Here the shade just gets the sun off you. You can’t tell the difference in temp at all.
But then the humidity isn’t in the upper 70’s or 80’s there like it is here. At night, every summer at this time, the only difference between night and day is that the sun goes down. The temp almost stays the same. Nothing like working in 85 deg with 80% humidity at 2:00am. And it won’t change until late Sept.
I think you’re right on target, but I don’t see any solution other than a tax on consumption. I don’t expect that to happen in this country in my lifetime and if it did I’m sure that it would become just as bloated and unfair as any other tax system.
Human civilizations have a habit of growing too large and over-burdening their resource base, which eventually leads to collapse. You can try to live a holier than thou eco friendly lifestyle, but some other asshole will just gorge themselves whatever left-overs you managed to put aside.
[quote]Bujo wrote:
Captain Glanton makes a good point. I know my utilities bill increases 100% during the summer, and I would wager a months pay that it is directly related to A/C usage. [/quote]
Shit, I don’t have to wager, I know that my bill increase is directly related to the A/C. My electricity bill is always under $80 in the winter, and around $160 during the hottest months.
Another thing I remeber that relates to how miserable it is here in the summer…in Santa Cruz, I could comfortably wear a sweatshirt at night. Same thing in Missoula, Montana. In fact my relatives in Mont, didn’t have central air. Didn’t need it. But they did get six feet of snow in winter, so…
[quote]BigRagoo wrote:
Bujo wrote:
Captain Glanton makes a good point. I know my utilities bill increases 100% during the summer, and I would wager a months pay that it is directly related to A/C usage.
Shit, I don’t have to wager, I know that my bill increase is directly related to the A/C. My electricity bill is always under $80 in the winter, and around $160 during the hottest months.[/quote]
WOW!!
My electricity bill is the EXACT opposite. Thankfully I don’t live in the deep south, so I don’t need to run the A/C as much.
Then again, A/C lets me train in the summer without fear of passing out from a heat stroke.
People need to stop surrendering their willpower to inanimate objects. If you don’t like sitting inside all day doing nothing, here’s a novel thought: don’t do it.
[quote]pookie wrote:
Then again, A/C lets me train in the summer without fear of passing out from a heat stroke.
People need to stop surrendering their willpower to inanimate objects. If you don’t like sitting inside all day doing nothing, here’s a novel thought: don’t do it.
[/quote]
Amen. Fat people might be enabled by AC in that it makes it easier to sit around and eat chimichangas, but in the end they can only blame themselves.
[quote]nephorm wrote:
Malevolence wrote:
I wonder if there is some support to the idea that you are more likely to buy something if it is colder in the environment. I say this because some of those stores aren’t just air conditioned, they are downright chilly.
Certainly, if you are uncomfortable, you are more likely to buy what you need and leave. They predicate much of their business on getting you to browse through the store and pick up items that you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them.[/quote]
I think it might be the opposite. I’ve always heard that supermarkets intentionally play awful music, because an annoyed shopper is a careless shopper.
I’d always assumed that those big box stores were just ovens in the summer and would cost a fortune to keep so cold. As someone with bad asthma, I’m irked that Target and the rest of 'em would rather raise prices to pay for more AC than to turn it down and use less power.
Back in the day, when only the stores, theaters and bars were air conditioned, it actually brought people together. People were also outside more, especially in the evening, because the house was just too hot. Public parks were full of picnics, and people resting in the shade.
Most cars had no air conditioning. I remember my father said that his car had 270 air cooling. Roll down 2 windows and drive at 70 mph. Good enough for me.
I’m here to agree with the point that buildings are no longer designed to be efficient. My AC went out for a week and all the house did was stay humid. It was intolerable. The only problem was the humidity. I could go outside in the shade and be more comfortable.
Houses were originally designed with breezeways and large windows so that they wouldn’t hold as much heat.
My high school was shaped like a donut with all the windows on one side of the classroom and a panel high on the other side. This allowed for a breeze to enter and heat to rise and escape.