Things to consider

Not too long ago, when the media started to cover people's horror stories, the Liberal Government came out with "suggestions" on how people could reduce their consumption during peak periods. One of those suggestions was for people to not use their AC units on hot days but instead use a small fan.

Let me see if I understand this. Seniors, in particular, should spend all day during the hot periods at the kitchen table in front of a small fan, sweltering while eating cold beans out of a can (for fear that heating it will cost more than the can of beans). And this is supposed to be a modern advanced society?

Let's have a look at some history. Contrary to what you have heard in the media about heat deaths increasing because of global warming, heat related deaths have dropped dramatically since the 1920's (1, 2). There are two reasons for this, especially in the Western World.

The first is that since the 1900s heat waves are fewer. In Southern Ontario we have 1/3 fewer days above 30C now than we did in the 1920s (3).

The second reason for the drop in heat related deaths is the proliferation of personal home AC units. Thousands of people's lives have been saved because of AC. And the Liberals want us to stop using them?

I wonder what the Ontario Medical Association would think about this? How will it effect our healthcare system with a dramatic increase in heat affected elderly arriving at ER rooms?

Personally, I think it is highly irresponsible that McGuinty tell people to stop using AC while he sits in his AC cooled office. But that's just me.


References:

1) http://wattsupwiththat.com/2008/07/05/going-down-death-rates-due-to-extreme-weather-events/

2) http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/issuesideas/story.html?id=d4b3016d-ecae-4f99-a685-44b01913e859

3) http://cdnsurfacetemps.blogspot.com/2010/02/southern-ontario.html