r/technology • u/Logical_Welder3467 • Jun 26 '26

Society The American mind cannot comprehend Europe's AC aversion

https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-air-conditioning-ac-heatwave-debate-2026-6
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u/TheBSisReal Jun 26 '26

Yes it makes sense when it’s super hot outside. European summers used to have a heatwave *maybe* every other summer. So in much of Western Europe, AC just didn’t make much sense until something drastically changed.

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u/seriouslees Jun 26 '26

I'm not sure if Europeans are aware of this or not... but AC units can be turned off. A portable AC unit you can store in a closet for 18 months is a pittance of a cost to have around when you do need it. Mind boggling that people wouldnt do this. I don't need my unit all summer long in Canada, but I'd die (or maybe kill) without it.

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u/Constant-Term-1629 Jun 26 '26

Nobody buys an AC unit to turn it on every few years. I don't think that's that hard to understand.

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u/seriouslees Jun 26 '26

Why not? It's not even expensive. A gaming console costs more than a portable AC.

This is like saying "I rarely see car crashes in real life, why bother with insurance?"

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u/Constant-Term-1629 Jun 26 '26

Because it's not worth the money to me? I don't get what's so hard to understand about that.

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u/seriouslees Jun 26 '26

Because thats crazy. A small one time cost to NEVER have it be too hot to sleep EVER again.

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u/Constant-Term-1629 Jun 26 '26

Not in my circumstances. We live on a farm with a shitty energy rating and a lot of square meters and multiple bedrooms. Also we have way more restrictive building codes (windows units aren'ta. thing here) and high energy costs.

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u/babyraindrain Jun 26 '26

Ok have fun in the heat then!

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u/Constant-Term-1629 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

Why are you being callous? Are you actually taking it personally when I say it's not worth it to me? Kinda weird dude