As the UK swelters through the longest heatwave of the year, you might be thinking of investing in some form of air conditioning.
Not so fast. Air-con only worsens the problem of the warming world it is supposed to fix, say some environmentalists. So how well do their arguments stand up to scrutiny?
Contrary to what climate change deniers might say, there are no longer any meaningful doubts about fossil-fuel-driven global warming. Only this week, the latest Met Office report found that average UK temperatures have risen by 1.3°C since the 1960s, and the hottest summer temperature has risen by up to 4.5°C.
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As a result, many of us are sleeping badly at night and getting hot and bothered by day. Overheating can affect health too, and heatwaves like the present one cause a noticeable rise in the number of deaths from conditions such as heart disease.
