In Lisbon, I live in a poorly insulated apartment with no A/C. I was given a big portable A/C by a friend, but the A/C is very noisy and I honestly don't like like it one bit. I now keep cool the way I used to do when I lived in 45 degrees heat in a room with a corrugated iron roof in Burkina Faso. I cover myself with a thin damp cloth/sheet and turn on a fan- I am sure the breeze would kill me if I believe that stuff...
The “environmental concerns” that led benighted western nations to eschew cheap abundant power represent a resounding victory for those bent on destroying Europe and the west generally. Well-being and standard of living are directly dependent on cheap abundant energy. The degree of gaslighting over “carbon” could only occur in a spiritually moribund, late-stage decadent sepulchre of a culture. It’s weak, and spiritually diseased.
Presumably, you read this part, “To be clear, there is an impact. A UNICEF report states, “The energy supply needed for artificial air conditioning generates about 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, twice as much as the entire aviation industry.” So, A/C does contribute to environmental issues. But it is not the sole reason, and our efforts to save the planet are better spent elsewhere.”
Brico’s like Brico depot or Bricomarché. We bought our airconditioners (for houses in the Netherlands and France) here in France because they were so cheap and easily available.
So book an airbnb with air the next time. They do exist.
All eat proper home cooked meals together. Children are allowed a snack at 16:00 hours.
There was no AC because older houses with thick walls didn’t need them. Now they are being installed more and more but used as heating in the colder months. Go look at the Brocoks and see how they are selling!
Airconditioning is not civilization, my dear.
French electricity is one of the cheapest in Europe, 15 eurocent per kwh.
If you don’t want to appreciate another country, then stay home and save yourself the suffering. Then you don’t have to eat unsweetened bread, sit on a terrace, not understand what people are saying on the street, have to eat snails and frogs legs, say bonjour instead of the familiar howdy, and so forth.
People do things differently in different countries. Americans snack all day and do not eat as a family at a table at the same time. and French view that as being rude to good food and cooking. They like to
Substack placed two of my messages quite a distance from eachother when they were meant to be one message. Accidentally the first half was sent before I was finished.
Now the two amputated messages make no sense, and seem deranged. So I will read your replies kindly. No blame, says the I Ching.
My holiday was not bad, I live here in France. Bought land 25 years ago and had a house built. Live here most of the time now.
What I am reacting to is the phenomenon of so many Americans coming to Europe and continually writing about, not how different Europe is, neutrally, but how weird it is when things are not like “back home”. I was trying to demonstrate how your biases and mis-representations can be mirrored by the stereotypes other countries hold about Americans. You may be married to a Frenchman, which seems to the excuse you use multiple times, but it appears you don’t like it here and apparently still feel superior.
Correct, your comments seem deranged (especially the lecture about French eating customs and why I should eat frogs and snails.)
I’m sorry to hear that you feel like this is complaining about why things aren’t the way they are back home.
I put a lot of work into researching it and trying to present it in a way that is accessible for people unfamiliar.
On a related note, you mentioned buying an air conditioner. I’ve done the same and I harbor no ill judgment. But, as we know, is not common in France. So it seems that you have an interest in re-creating your home experience in France.
Good luck and I hope you got what you needed while you were here.
This is just bizarre. France is poorer than the US, and poorer than Israel per-capita (now), but while I grew up in Israel without A/C until age 15, when my parents added tiny A/C to the bedrooms we used them during summer nights, despite Israel having expensive electricity and a lower GDP per-capita at the time. Everyone had fans before that mid-80s change. These days my mom’s apartment has A/C in every bedroom and a central unit for the living room and kitchen, and while she is old school and prefers a fan, she’ll turn it all on when we visit.
This seems like nothing more than social pressure and weirdo stubbornness. The units are affordable enough now, as are fans. Nobody says turn them on 24/7, but during heatwaves? What is wrong with these people? France isn’t a developing nation. Is it illegal to put window units or cut holes in walls for the exhaust end of the A/C?
Indeed bizarre. To their credit, France used to have cooler summers. So A/C really was not needed...mostly.
For some reason, and it is beyond me, the French government for years has put out anti-A/C propaganda. They make people feel like putting one A/C unit in the home will cause the next iceberg to melt.
France gets its power from global warming friendly nuclear.
It lacks AC bc the government decided that not providing the electricity was just easier
The alleged environmental factors are discussed in the article.
In Lisbon, I live in a poorly insulated apartment with no A/C. I was given a big portable A/C by a friend, but the A/C is very noisy and I honestly don't like like it one bit. I now keep cool the way I used to do when I lived in 45 degrees heat in a room with a corrugated iron roof in Burkina Faso. I cover myself with a thin damp cloth/sheet and turn on a fan- I am sure the breeze would kill me if I believe that stuff...
I agree the A/Cs can be really loud. And at least in the US, it is absurd-- office buildings are frigid.
I do maintain that sometimes a portable A/C can help take the edge off when it is really hot. :)
The “environmental concerns” that led benighted western nations to eschew cheap abundant power represent a resounding victory for those bent on destroying Europe and the west generally. Well-being and standard of living are directly dependent on cheap abundant energy. The degree of gaslighting over “carbon” could only occur in a spiritually moribund, late-stage decadent sepulchre of a culture. It’s weak, and spiritually diseased.
Presumably, you read this part, “To be clear, there is an impact. A UNICEF report states, “The energy supply needed for artificial air conditioning generates about 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, twice as much as the entire aviation industry.” So, A/C does contribute to environmental issues. But it is not the sole reason, and our efforts to save the planet are better spent elsewhere.”
Brico’s like Brico depot or Bricomarché. We bought our airconditioners (for houses in the Netherlands and France) here in France because they were so cheap and easily available.
So book an airbnb with air the next time. They do exist.
We…have an A/C in our home. 🥴
All eat proper home cooked meals together. Children are allowed a snack at 16:00 hours.
There was no AC because older houses with thick walls didn’t need them. Now they are being installed more and more but used as heating in the colder months. Go look at the Brocoks and see how they are selling!
Airconditioning is not civilization, my dear.
French electricity is one of the cheapest in Europe, 15 eurocent per kwh.
If you don’t want to appreciate another country, then stay home and save yourself the suffering. Then you don’t have to eat unsweetened bread, sit on a terrace, not understand what people are saying on the street, have to eat snails and frogs legs, say bonjour instead of the familiar howdy, and so forth.
I don’t know what happened in your childhood, but I imagine it was bad.
I speak French. My husband is French. I wouldn’t eat snails or frogs because they are not kosher so no worry there.
Begone, Expat Pick-Me! Au revoir! 👋🏼
People do things differently in different countries. Americans snack all day and do not eat as a family at a table at the same time. and French view that as being rude to good food and cooking. They like to
I absolutely love your comments. Share more, please!
Substack placed two of my messages quite a distance from eachother when they were meant to be one message. Accidentally the first half was sent before I was finished.
Now the two amputated messages make no sense, and seem deranged. So I will read your replies kindly. No blame, says the I Ching.
My holiday was not bad, I live here in France. Bought land 25 years ago and had a house built. Live here most of the time now.
What I am reacting to is the phenomenon of so many Americans coming to Europe and continually writing about, not how different Europe is, neutrally, but how weird it is when things are not like “back home”. I was trying to demonstrate how your biases and mis-representations can be mirrored by the stereotypes other countries hold about Americans. You may be married to a Frenchman, which seems to the excuse you use multiple times, but it appears you don’t like it here and apparently still feel superior.
Sorry if I am not an admirer.
Correct, your comments seem deranged (especially the lecture about French eating customs and why I should eat frogs and snails.)
I’m sorry to hear that you feel like this is complaining about why things aren’t the way they are back home.
I put a lot of work into researching it and trying to present it in a way that is accessible for people unfamiliar.
On a related note, you mentioned buying an air conditioner. I’ve done the same and I harbor no ill judgment. But, as we know, is not common in France. So it seems that you have an interest in re-creating your home experience in France.
Good luck and I hope you got what you needed while you were here.
This is just bizarre. France is poorer than the US, and poorer than Israel per-capita (now), but while I grew up in Israel without A/C until age 15, when my parents added tiny A/C to the bedrooms we used them during summer nights, despite Israel having expensive electricity and a lower GDP per-capita at the time. Everyone had fans before that mid-80s change. These days my mom’s apartment has A/C in every bedroom and a central unit for the living room and kitchen, and while she is old school and prefers a fan, she’ll turn it all on when we visit.
This seems like nothing more than social pressure and weirdo stubbornness. The units are affordable enough now, as are fans. Nobody says turn them on 24/7, but during heatwaves? What is wrong with these people? France isn’t a developing nation. Is it illegal to put window units or cut holes in walls for the exhaust end of the A/C?
Amazingly weird, fun read.
Indeed bizarre. To their credit, France used to have cooler summers. So A/C really was not needed...mostly.
For some reason, and it is beyond me, the French government for years has put out anti-A/C propaganda. They make people feel like putting one A/C unit in the home will cause the next iceberg to melt.
For a country that loves to mock the US as puritanical… this is pretty preachy and culty in a very self-defeating way.
Yes, this the one thing they are very preachy about.