Biden Based Air Conditioning Issues Upcoming.....

[Alan]

Well, to start with, the headline is a bit questionable...

"Biden's new crackdown on another appliance".

OK, fair enough, it probably should have been "The Biden administration's new crackdown on another appliance",which would be more in line with the official EPA article entitled "Biden-Harris Administration Takes Latest Step in National Phasedown of Climate-damaging Hydrofluorocarbons".

What else?

[iris lilies]

The contrast with the EPA write up is just fascinating. You have an actual bipartisan bill (don't know the vote total but this was cosponsored by a Republican so it's fair to call it that), you have trade associations weighing in in favor of the phase out. You have international law on this ratified in the U.S. by the Senate. It's so by the book and consensus based it hurts. But it can maybe make a difference.

And then you have screaming about Biden as if it even was all Biden, true it needs enforcement and that is the EPA which does fall under Biden. But it was never all Biden.

Well, it happened to Joe Biden’s watch so he gets all the credit. But certainly, as you point out, there was by-partisan effort to bring some of this to the forefront.

Just like he gets all the credit for today’s frightening downgrading of US debt rating. Sure, there’s multiple past presidents and Congresses and business environments that have contributed to this, but it happened on his watch so I am giving him the turkey award.

[bae]

[iris lilies]

haha, ok. I accept it.

[jp1]

I'm glad I don't have children. The idea that I'd proudly be advocating for them to suffer a dying planet because I bought into this sad fox "news" stories would make me ashamed in my dying days of life. But by all means sad sackers, please tell us how you're proud to advocate for more hydroflourocarbons. YAY DEAD PLANET!

[catherine]

It's so silly, misleading and almost dangerous for Fox "news" to tell people that Biden is taking away their air conditioning. The EPA article (thank you, Alan, for posting it) says:

“President Biden has brought together a broad coalition of American manufacturers to work on next-generation technologies across refrigeration, HVAC systems, and more – helping us cool without contributing more to global warming,” said Ali Zaidi, White House National Climate Advisor. “With today’s final rule, this Administration is continuing to deliver win-wins for climate action and U.S. manufacturing competitiveness while ensuring that American workers reap the benefits of a growing global market for HFC alternatives.”

Next gen technologies that are less polluting will gradually replace hydrofluorocarbons in much the same way unleaded gas pumps replaced gas with lead. The Biden Administration has targeted air conditioning as another important step to addressing climate change. As an example, the organization Project Drawdown has provided some possible scenarios for various solutions to high-polluting refrigerants: https://drawdown.org/solutions/alternative-refrigerants

But I also agree with bae, that the fact that so many humans depend upon air conditioning to survive is a very new reality. I remember when there was no air conditioning across the vast majority of all buildings in the US. We used to go to the movie theaters that had "We have Air Conditioning!" signs on their doors. Like the availability of cars leading to an entirely new suburban culture in the 50s, air-conditioning made life in the desert possible. I understand that everyone needs to live somewhere and it's their right to, but personally, I would never live anywhere where I would have to depend on air conditioning for my comfort and health. Obviously, I'm in the minority, but the less technology I need in order to live, the freer I feel.

[Teacher Terry]

You don’t need AC to live in Reno. Many older homes don’t have it because it cools down at night. When I worked we rarely used it because you open the windows at night and closed everything during the day. However, no one would live in Vegas without it.

[frugal-one]

One might ask about the wisdom of living in a hostile environment that requires air conditioning and importing water.

Well, time will solve that problem. Ask the Hohokam.

Depends… Can the person leave during the hot months or leave permanently with minimal or no loss? The impact of having to heat a place in a frigid environment is a HUGE consideration, as well as, the need for air conditioning in the summer there too. It is a trade off IMO.

[JaneV2.0]

One of the (many) positives of living in the PNW is not requiring AC in the summer or much heating in the winter. We have a pleasantly mild climate.

[bae]

One of the (many) positives of living in the PNW is not requiring AC in the summer or much heating in the winter. We have a pleasantly mild climate.

Plus abundant water, and local food supplies.