We may be in the clear when it comes to heat domes, but it’s still really hot. More than half of the country has had temperatures in the 90s in the last week, prompting many people to find relief in the cool, crisp breeze of an air-conditioner.
But in the next few years, the way air-conditioners work could change. Last month, representatives from nearly 200 countries worked on a new environment agreement to regulate the use of HFCs, or hydrofluorocarbons. These chemical compounds are responsible for keeping you cool on hot summer days, in air-conditioners and refrigerators. And even though you might not have heard of them, environmentalists, government officials and scientists say an agreement to limit HFCs represents a significant step in the fight to stave off the worst effects of global warming.
That’s because like other greenhouse gases, HFCs contribute to global warming. But mostly, they’re not coming from your air-conditioner, though air-conditioning poses other environmental problems. So we’re here to answer some questions you might have about HFCs, air-conditioning and this new treaty.
Is my air-conditioner causing global warming?
It’s complicated.
HFCs represent a small portion of total greenhouse gas emissions, but they trap thousands of times as much heat in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
Good news: If your air-conditioner is working properly, it won’t release HFCs into the atmosphere. Some HFCs are released during the manufacturing process, if your air-conditioner or refrigerator has a leak, or when you throw a unit away, possibly causing some molecules to escape, especially if it’s disposed of improperly (Here’s some guidance on proper disposal).
The United States has also put regulations in place to phase out the use of HFCs in other areas like aerosols and building foam.
Source Name: The NewYork Times
Source URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/10/science/air-conditioner-global-warming.html?_r=0
