I think the debate in that is passive vs active rather than just using technology. If the Hoover Dam were to become inoperable, would residents of Las Vegas be able to survive? And if it’s questionable what does aid, or worse a middle of the desert mass evacuation, even consist of? And this avoids even discussing current residents who in the face of increasing temperatures and energy prices may not be able to keep up with cooling needs.
If the Hoover Dam becomes inoperable, the entire Southwest US is in trouble. It provides water for farms and power, both mostly in California. Las Vegas would actually be the last to feel the effects of Lake Mead drying up because they’ve installed a deeper “straw” to draw water from, along with a pumping station.
There’s a lot of farming being done right in the US Southwest now that’s only profitable because the water is massively subsidized. The first thing to do is to make them pay something closer to the real cost. Nobody should be growing rice, cotton or almonds in the Central Valley. That’s just burning public money and squandering a scarce resource. If they can’t figure out a more suitable alternative crop, let 'em go bust.
As for A/C, it’s a lousy, wasteful solution to hot climates compared to passive construction, insulation, heat pumps and other technologies (some very old). But anyone in Vegas with a pool or lawn needs some immediate education. And I’d be reluctant to encourage people to live in places like that when there are more temperate places they could live in if they wanted to.
Oh, absolutely. That would be an instant massive humanitarian disaster. I was more trying to respond to this though:
just pointing out that since the first human put an animal skin over their shoulders we’ve been developing technology to live in places that we’d otherwise not be able to exist in.
I think there is a big difference between the passive warming / cooling of clothing vs the huge energy requirement, spent resources and emissions required to basically run your entire home / office / factory / hotel as a giant fridge.
Essentially going through some of the ancient technologies used for cooling buildings.
I think the debate in that is passive vs active rather than just using technology. If the Hoover Dam were to become inoperable, would residents of Las Vegas be able to survive? And if it’s questionable what does aid, or worse a middle of the desert mass evacuation, even consist of? And this avoids even discussing current residents who in the face of increasing temperatures and energy prices may not be able to keep up with cooling needs.
If the Hoover Dam becomes inoperable, the entire Southwest US is in trouble. It provides water for farms and power, both mostly in California. Las Vegas would actually be the last to feel the effects of Lake Mead drying up because they’ve installed a deeper “straw” to draw water from, along with a pumping station.
https://www.snwa.com/where-southern-nevada-gets-its-water/our-regional-water-system/intake-no-3.html
There’s a lot of farming being done right in the US Southwest now that’s only profitable because the water is massively subsidized. The first thing to do is to make them pay something closer to the real cost. Nobody should be growing rice, cotton or almonds in the Central Valley. That’s just burning public money and squandering a scarce resource. If they can’t figure out a more suitable alternative crop, let 'em go bust.
As for A/C, it’s a lousy, wasteful solution to hot climates compared to passive construction, insulation, heat pumps and other technologies (some very old). But anyone in Vegas with a pool or lawn needs some immediate education. And I’d be reluctant to encourage people to live in places like that when there are more temperate places they could live in if they wanted to.
Oh, absolutely. That would be an instant massive humanitarian disaster. I was more trying to respond to this though:
Essentially going through some of the ancient technologies used for cooling buildings.