Scientist calls for Americans to cut off air conditioning in summer, claiming it causes global warming

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A scientist is calling for Americans to cut off air conditioning after refusing to use it for 25 years during the throes of the summer in order to combat climate change. 

Stan Cox is an Ecosphere Fellow at the Land Institute who also believes the U.S. military is an "enemy" to mitigating climate change. He wrote a guest essay in the New York Times on Saturday, "I Swore Off Air-Conditioning, and You Can, Too," claiming that "air-conditioning is making our summers even hotter" due to climate change. 

"The greenhouse gases created by the roughly 90 percent of American households that own A.C. units mean that running them even in balmy temperatures is making the climate crisis worse," Cox wrote.

The scientist described drastic steps to stay cool in the summer, such as using the lawn sprinkler and spending most summer days on the porch, in the park or anywhere else beyond the sweltering heat of his home. 

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Climate Scientist Stan Cox called for Americans to stop using air conditioning in the summer months in order to combat climate change. (iStock)

"When it gets too hot, we lightly spray water on our arms, legs and faces; the water helps dissipate a lot of heat. A quick, cold shower or a little time spent with that all-American favorite, the lawn sprinkler, also can bring relief," he said. 

Cox and his wife rely on electric fans, which he says are free "of the refrigerants that amplify air-conditioning’s contribution to global warming.

In addition to cutting AC, Cox minimizes the use of appliances that can contribute to the heat.

"We also kept other appliances and devices turned off as much as possible because they, too, generate heat. Dishwashers are double trouble, putting out heat and humidity. We don’t have one," he said. 

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"We also kept other appliances and devices turned off as much as possible because they, too, generate heat," the scientist said.  (Adobe Stock)

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His refrigerator is set at the lowest possible temperature. 

"You can’t unplug the refrigerator, of course, but we keep ours set for just under 40 degrees," he said. 

For those who might say it's a drastic step that's too far, Cox believes that they'll get used to living without AC.

"Our species evolved, biologically and culturally, under wildly varying climatic conditions, and we haven’t lost that ability to adapt. Research suggests that when we spend more time in warm or hot summer weather, we can start feeling comfortable at temperatures that once felt insufferable. That’s the key to reducing dependence on air-conditioning: The less you use it, the easier it is to live without it," he said. 

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Cox did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.