Ban AC in DC

For John, BLUF:  Yes, this is from almost six years ago, but the concept is still waiting to be tested.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Glenn Reynolds:  Ban AC for DC

Here is the sub-headline:

If our rulers think global warming is a crisis, let them be a good example for the rest of us.

From USA Today, by Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds, 11 July 2016, 3:43 PM.

Here is the lede plus one:

Everyone talks about global warming, but nobody does anything about it.  At least, the people who talk about saving the planet the most seem to have the biggest carbon footprint.  But I have some ideas for fixing that.

In this, I’m inspired by Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Tex., who noticed something peculiar recently.  It seems that EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, who spends a lot of time telling Americans that they need to drive less, fly less, and in general reduce their consumption of fossil fuels, also flies home to see her family in Boston "almost every weekend"; the head of the Clean Air Division, Janet McCabe, does the same, but she heads to Indianapolis.  In air mileage alone, the Daily Caller News Foundation estimates that McCarthy surpasses the carbon footprint of an ordinary American.  Smith has introduced a bill that wouldn't target the EPA honchos’ personal travel, though:  It provides, simply, that “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay the cost of any officer or employee of the Environmental Protection Agency for official travel by airplane.”

The author lays out a four point plan to help fight climate change and the middle two focus on our Nation's Capitol:

Obama makes a great point about setting the thermostat at 72 degrees.  We should ban air conditioning in federal buildings.  We won two world wars without air conditioning our federal employees.  Nothing in their performance over the last 50 or 60 years suggests that A/C has improved things.  Besides, The Washington Post informs us that A/C is sexist, and that Europeans think it’s stupid.

In fact, we should probably ban air conditioning in the entire District of Columbia, to ensure that members of Congress, etc. won’t congregate in lobbyists’ air-conditioned offices.

I like the idea.  I think things might actually be better if Congress decamped for the Summer and the Bureaucracy spent less time in their offices.♠

Back before Air Conditioning Washington was an enviornmental swamp, with stinky Summer weather, especially around August.  People avoided it.  Today Organizations want to move to DC.  Raytheon is the lates example, wanting to move its Corporate Headquarters to Washington.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Thanks to the US Taxpayers I spent three and a half years in Naples, Italy, at a NATO Headquarters.  There was no air conditioning, except for the 24 Hour a Day Command Post and the SCIF (No windows to open to let air circulate).  So, for the Summer, instead of 8 to 5, we worked 7:30 AM to 1 PM.  I have stayed past 1 and almost put my eye out falling asleep at my desk, while trying to write (before computers).  And, I think we were more creative and productive than our Central European Colleagues..