The thermometer is going wild in the United States. In June, temperatures soared to 35 degrees in New York City and topped 47 degrees in the western states. Fortunately, residents can rely on their air conditioning.
Americans are the biggest consumers of air conditioning in the world. A 2015 study reported that Americans used more energy to cool themselves than Africa to run all of its electrical appliances.
Initially, air conditioning was created to preserve goods, before conquering American homes. It therefore had a role in regional planning, because it has allowed the southern states, where temperatures are breaking records, to develop.
But air conditioning is also an ecological poison. It contributes to global warming, emits greenhouse gases, because of the refrigerants used by air conditioners and consumes a lot of electricity. With their air conditioners alone, the United States is responsible for more than half of the total CO2 emissions of a country like France.
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>> A letter from America, a series of exceptional episodes to be found every Tuesday. A sound postcard to help us better understand this America of today, both so familiar and sometimes totally disconcerting. An RTL Originals podcast.
