The AC Paradox

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We have three air conditioners in our flat. We don’t use them very often. No, let me clarify further. We use ACs a lot less than my friends and our neighbours do. However, as global warming gets worse, ACs are an easy solution which actually worsens the problem in the long run.

By 2050, India will be among the first places where temperatures will cross survivability limits, according to climate experts. And within that time frame, the demand for air conditioners (AC) in the country is also expected to rise nine-fold, outpacing all other appliances, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Apparently, Singapore’s founding father thought air conditioning was the secret to his country’s success. My parents tell me that when they were young, in the 1970s and 1980s, air conditioning was a rarity in India, especially among the middle-classes, mainly because it was unaffordable. Now the prices of AC units are a lot more affordable and in India, middle-class incomes have gone up. Along with the temperature!

I wish we could all cut down on AC usage, though I do know that many of us function much more efficiently, especially in summers, with the AC on!

What’s the solution?

  • To use fans as much as possible? I’m told by my father that all corporate offices have air conditioning as a matter of course and no fans at all.
  • Encourage people, especially men, to avoid suits and ties and to wear half-sleeve shirts?
  • Better ventilation?

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