‘I’ve never seen heat this bad. It’s not normal’: Italy struggles as temperature tops 40C 118f

nslatz@lemmy.world to World News@lemmy.world – 1667 points –
‘I’ve never seen heat this bad. It’s not normal’: Italy struggles as temperature tops 40C
theguardian.com
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Climate control technology never reached Europe. Every building is a sweltering hellhole, unless youre in the first floor of a concrete building.

I buckled and bought a stand-AC a few years ago when I literally couldn’t sleep for days during an insanely hot summer here in Germany. I really try not to use it much but on those days when it’s unbearable it’s literally a lifesaver.

AC never was popular because it used to be that you never needed it here. You’d have maybe one or two days above 30 a year where I live and that wouldn’t be enough to heat up the concrete walls, so your living space still stayed cool. And at night the temperature would drop and you could simply air out your flat. Now it’s different though and it’s seriously a shame that people still doubt climate change is happening.

Same thing on my part of Canada. Might have to get an AC for the bedroom.

Pair it with solar panels, then it doesn't contribute to climate change and you can run it as much as you want when the sun shines.

Believe me, I would if I could, but my building doesn’t allow us to hang stuff from our balconies. Can’t go about being more energy efficient if it might look too ugly! (/s)

California offers the public to visit certain public buildings and community centers to cool off for free during heatwaves. It saves lives. It would be great if the Italian government could offer something similar. I know they have some very old buildings, but they have some that could facilitate this. Or they should build more pantheons like in Rome if they reject air conditioners.

I read something in the news about inviting people to churches. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself for several hours there, also the seats are pretty uncomfortable. But better than a heatstroke I guess.

“And I know I’ve finally accepted that air conditioning is a privilege, not a right.”

-Ted Lasso

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