Addicted to A/C
A few weeks ago we had a small air conditioning unit installed in our bedroom. It was a present from my father-in-law which is probably just as well because I have always been rather resistant to buying one myself. Not because of the expense so much, but because air conditioning has always seemed a bit wrong to me. Sure it’s hot, but do you really want to breath air that has been processed? It’s so artificial! You pay a lot of money to have air sucked in from outside, passed over refrigeration elements and then pumped into your home, just so you can achieve optimum temperature?
Ha! You can tell I grew up in chilly England can’t you? Getting A/C felt pretty wrong to me, but do you know what? It feels oh so right when we switch it on 10 minutes before going to bed. Especially when the funk party raging outside makes opening the window a bad option if you want to get to sleep before 6am. I think it is safe to say that I am an air conditioning convert.
Often when I’m searching for ideas and inspiration for Eat Rio, I will ask my wife about whatever subject I have in mind. “What have you got on X?” I will ask, and she will tell me about a saying, a news story or some other cultural oddity that I can work in to the post (my secret is out!). Well I just asked her “What do you Brazilians think about air conditioning” and her reply was “Everyone likes it”. Great, thanks for that! But it appears to be true:
I reckon there are around 70 A/C units visible on the outside of this office building in Rio's Centro district.
As I passed this building recently, there was a heavy drizzle of water dripping down from each of those air conditioning units – it was quite spectacular actually. I tried to video it, but you can only see the really big drips…
There is nothing quite like the feeling you get on a hot day when you walk through the icy blast outside the open door of an air conditioned shop. But whilst I enjoy lingering in those refreshing zones out on the street, I think shops should really have closed doors and windows if they’re going to use air conditioning.
I think it reflects a more general disregard for the value of electricity in Brazil. We are probably moving into a territory that deserves a separate post, but Brazil loses a huge amount of the energy it generates each year through ‘gatos’ (people stealing electricity) and various other inefficiencies related to poor infrastructure. It seems crazy that Brazil is building the hugely unpopular Belo Monte dam to produce more electricity and at the same time businesses can afford to power massive A/C units and have all the doors and windows open at the same time.
So, to summarise, I’ve been convinced that air conditioning is a necessary fact of life in a country as hot as Brazil. But seriously, close the window if you’re going to use it!
The world "gato" means cat. I have no idea why it is also used to describe this practice of hooking up lines to steal electricity.
I’ve always prided myself on being a ceiling fan type of girl. Sadly our new apartment’s lowered ceilings made it next to impossible for fans (minus in our bedroom). My Brazilian husband went for his dream item, a split air. I am now guilty of turning it on far more than him. What can I say? After a day out in the heat there is nothing better than watching a movie in a chilled dark room…
Yeah, I like ceiling fans too – we also have one of those fans that sit on a table (table fan? Is that what they’re called?) but after I while it feels like my eyes are drying out!
I just had to look up Split Air – those things are awesome! :D
I’ve been convinced that air conditioning is a necessary fact of life in a country as hot as Brazil.
I’m gonna disagree with you there :-) I’ve never had A/C in Brazil, but I’ve found that if my home is well-ventilated, it doesn’t matter. I just take a cold shower after having come in from the street and I’m good!
I’ve never understood the stores running A/C with doors and windows open, either. There are some where it’s not just a door that’s open – it’s literally the entire front of the store. Are these shop owners trying to air-condition the entire country? And what must their electric bill be like??
Ha ha, looks like I’ve gone over to the dark side! I suppose if you have a house in a good breezy location it can be OK. But how about businesses? I know from experience that our office (full of computers) gets ridiculous within 10 minutes of the A/C breaking down. You just couldn’t work like that on a day-in, day-out basis.
I have started to be a little cautious with the A/C when I turn it on before going to sleep though. There have been a couple of times when I’ve woken up at 4am, absolutely freezing! :)
People could start installing white roofing, that helps. Plus having windows located in more than one side a room increases ventilation, and the quality of natural lighting.
But try to explain that to people who have a hard time understanding that you just can’t plant any tree wherever you choose, and should take existing ones in account if you plan to build around them.
Yeah, let’s be realistic, those aircons aren’t going anywhere….
I could not imagine life here without air conditioning.
I don’t personally know Rio weather, but here is something like hell. The summers are so hot that my dog refuses to go outside (I literally have to drag her out so she can xixi) and everyone leaves town and goes to the beach (an hour and a half away.)
I think the major problem is that there is NO BREEZE whatsoever here, and there are spells of over 100 degrees with 90 percent humidity for days on end. I remember one night last summer, the overnight lowest temperature was 103 degrees. Can you imagine? And, I don’t live in Phoenix, Arizona either.
Enjoy the cold air (inside.)
Abracos,
Alex
Some place could try doing this.
http://www.i4at.org/surv/aircond.htm
But then there is the water factor.
Jeez, I was reading over the weekend about some guy who has separate a/c units in his kitchen, walk-in wardrobe and even his indoor swimming pool! Some people…