We need a new Marshall Plan for Europe
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It's hard to imagine life without an air conditioner. Even in MN. On hot days... the relief when you get in a car or in your house... I was just outside doing yardwork for 3 hours, and my entire shorts/shirt was literally dripping with sweat. Felt great to go into my always-64 degree basement.
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97 outside today here in Florida, 76 in the house. We're going out to dinner a little later and planning our escape to the car (which we foolishly left) in the driveway.
But then there's Mexicans putting on roofs in my neighborhood all day, every day. So there's that. Maybe the future belongs to them.
Flushing the toilet is like practicing the piano; you just cannot go too long without doing it.--Axtremus
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97 outside today here in Florida, 76 in the house. We're going out to dinner a little later and planning our escape to the car (which we foolishly left) in the driveway.
But then there's Mexicans putting on roofs in my neighborhood all day, every day. So there's that. Maybe the future belongs to them.
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97 outside today here in Florida, 76 in the house. We're going out to dinner a little later and planning our escape to the car (which we foolishly left) in the driveway.
But then there's Mexicans putting on roofs in my neighborhood all day, every day. So there's that. Maybe the future belongs to them.
@Tom-K said in We need a new Marshall Plan for Europe:
97 outside today here in Florida, 76 in the house. We're going out to dinner a little later and planning our escape to the car (which we foolishly left) in the driveway.
But then there's Mexicans putting on roofs in my neighborhood all day, every day. So there's that. Maybe the future belongs to them.
Back in 2014 we had one hell of a hail storm come through. Everybody, and I do mean EVERYBODY, got at least a new roof. We got a new roof, garage door and paint job for the whole house. Sadly, I could not get them to replace the cedar with Hardieboard.
Anyway, all that summer the ca-chunk ca-chunk of roof replacement could be heard. But I watched the crews. The Mexicans busted their asses and got most done in one day. The American crews generally took two.
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I have struck up a nice friendship with my future landlord as he is a dual citizen American over in Sardinia and we are picking each other's brain regarding this very subject. He's about 35 married with 2 kids and lives a life of entrepeneurship. Has multiple rentals, owns a bar in Rome, etc. We are talking about getting ahead of this thing that is about to burst. Global warming has particularly hit Sardinia harder than most places and I hear summers can get to 40C more regularly now. The only saving grace is the Mistral winds that are the predominat blower over the island. But you're right, Italians and AC's have never been good bedfellows. Many more without than with. Ari and I are thinking some lower cost solutions utilizing solar maybe, to be there when that market is forced to open wide. I am not allowed to work over there with the kind of visa I will have but doesn't mean my money can't work. There is long old mythology that the cold air at night is bad for your health too besides a general waste of money. Better spent on nice clothes and good food and drink than other physical comforts. There are certain things that are just the way they are over there. Not many clothes dryers either. Italians are practical, there's 200 plus days of sunshine, why the heck do I need a dryer?
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From my small and very limited observations with Vienna, Munich, and Frankfurt…
Older buildings, businesses, restaurants, hotels, etc… No AC, but none really needed. The construction materials, design, etc… were such that they aren’t really necessary. Newer buildings, businesses, etc? The materials and designs generally expect there to be HVAC, and the Europeans just stubbornly don’t install it.
Went to a a restaurant in old Vienna for an early dinner. Hot day in August. The restaurant was in a basement, with windows at the very top of the wall. Food was excellent and the environment quite comfortable. I went to dinner the next night in an above ground restaurant in old Vienna. Neat older design with lots of windows and ceiling fans keeping a nice airflow going. Very comfortable. The next night, small restaurant in mew Vienna. Stuffy, hot, uncomfortable…
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@jon-nyc said in We need a new Marshall Plan for Europe:
On AC in Germany.
Interesting. I think the author overstates the role of anti-americanism, but he is right that it contributes to the anti AC thing.
AC has a somewhat similar fate as nuclear energy in Germany. Everything that has the word "atom" in it is considered bad, regardless of whether there are actually any safety or environmental concerns or not. For instance, the kind of nuclear power technology doesn't matter, they are all equally evil. Even nuclear fusion, which has completely different technological properties, is evil because it has the evil "atom" word in it.
I think the real underlying issue here is a kind of, what, protestant(?) or degrowth(?) culture: In that culture, hardships are a feature and not a bug if they seem to somehow further their cause (which is hard to describe). Unlimited free energy, for instance, would be a complete nightmare for many of these people.
