I live in the DC metro area. As much as I try to live as "green" as possible, I just can't do without the a/c from about mid May mid Sept.

We try our best - there have been a lot of cooler periods in Toronto and today there is a nice breeze.

On humid days, though, we can't do without it. We're also in a top floor apartment - a first for me and likely a last.

My fiance and I have this battle, too! I grew up in the mountains, where no AC is ever needed, so I really hate the contraptions. But he grew up in Missouri, where AC is a survival tool. Living in Philly now, we duke it out all summer. I prefer plain old fans, he prefers refrigerator temperatures. In the mornings when the house is still cool, I pull down all the blinds in every room and run all of our fans. I find that this combo can work well for the majority of the day... until you hit around 90 degrees (which, in Texas, is probably a given most days!).

I've got a friend who only turns on the a/c when it breaks 100 degrees indoors. He also says that once you get used to it, it's not noticeable (which only makes sense because humans have existed for centuries without it). I try to keep my house a little warmer, but my roommates don't care for the idea. They're quite happy to spend my money to keep themselves cooler.

Coming from San Francisco, where we typically wear wool all summer and freeze to death in our air-conditioned offices, it's Absolute JOY to have a warm home sans-AC (or heat, for that matter)

The sub-$40 power bills are mighty nice too.

Ugh, I wish I could get my roommate to do that. I live in Austin as well and she continues to leave the AC on 70 overnight (causing it to run without stopping) despite our $170(!!!) bill. I prefer it to be closer to the outdoor temperature as well, it makes being outdoors during the summer more bearable.

A great money saver, but I could never do it....St. Louis summers are brutal, especially when you live in a top floor apartment with old windows.

I like how the article basically starts out with "not that I'm POOR or anything..."

I live in the DC metro area and I am lucky that I have an apartment that has windows in the front and in the back, and the neighborhood has very tall trees which throw in a nice breeze. I don’t use AC all summer! I absolutely love the savings but I also love the streets sounds, birds, people talking, etc. I do have a fan in the living/dining room and the bedroom. On days when the temperature hits the 90s, the best advice I have is to take a cold shower before going to bed and turn the fan on. You sleep like a baby!

Fortunately... (or unfortunately) we don't have A/C in our LA bungalow. It's hard for us to have window units too because all of our windows are inside opening casement style and units won't fit inside. We suck it up basically and use ceiling fans in the bedrooms, pray for cross breezes (and we live up on a hill so they aren't that rare... thank goodness) and use this monster rolling a/c unit that has a giant tube you stick out the window when it gets unbearable.

somehow our energy bills are not really any lower than when we lived with central air in our last place... i have no idea why...

#4 -- pretentious much?

I have survived more than eight years without using an ac, although I did so in the northeast and not in places like Texas. But even so, there are at least 20-30 days every summer that seem almost unbearable. The key for me was using window fans. You can use them on exhaust in the window that gets direct sun during daytime while keeping open the window that gets shade from nearby buildings or trees so that cooler air circulates. In the evening/night you can use the fan on air intake mode to let the cooler air outside fill the place. Also like others mentioned, if you are not home during day, keeping all the windows shut and draped to keep light out works in maintaining the temperature. All you need to do when you come home is turn on the window fan for 45-60 minutes and the cooler air outside cools the room.

I have slightly confused respect for those of you toughing it out. I grew up in a mild climate and when I moved to Chicago, I spent the first few years without a window unit because I was mostly unfamiliar with AC units and the miracle they can be. I had fans, ceiling fans, and water in a spraybottle that I kept in the fridge. It was mostly ok (I lived alone and could walk around in my underpants) with a good dose of miserable.

Breaking down and getting a window unit was the best decision I made. I cursed myself for suffering for so many years without it. I didn't make my apartment into an icebox (I detest over air-conditioned places), but I did manage to get comfortable and somewhat dry. There's a happy medium between $170 electricity bills and enduring 100 degree heat and terrible humidity indoors.

I live in the humid Midwest with in a corner apartment that faces both west, and a fire station. It's a great location considering our own safety, and for the growing of our indoor basil garden.

I have one roommate who is an archeologist and can sleep in any kind of climate. However, her significant other, their daughter, and myself all share the "can't sleep in humidity" gene. To the point that this week, after seeing the $160 power bill from last month, we've been trying to keep the AC down, and I've slept through my alarm twice out of sheer exhaustion from not being able to get to sleep in the first place.

Ugh.

Almost makes me miss the winter months when I can't seem to get warm! Being at the lake this weekend should certainly help - big cabin, lots of airflow, too much to do will tucker me out for sure.

I live in a high elevation desert in Idaho - and dry heat is awesome. Without the humidity, it's quite easy to live in 90 days without AC. I'd even call it a pleasure.

I live in Iowa with that nasty humidity and I still forego A/C. I'm not home during the day and I love the breeze at night...and I don't get that morning A/C-induced congestion :)

I live in a top floor apt and it can get really unbearable. Most of the time the apt is actually hotter than outside. We did endure a few summers w/out an AC but 2 years ago we broke down and got one. I do not regret it one bit, (especially w/ a new baby) even when I get my sky high bill at the end of the month.

Mmm... heat index of 96, humidity of 75% here in beautiful Florida. I'll stick with my a/c. But go for it if you've got it.

I lived in Texas and went for a bit more than a year with no AC. I couldn't afford it on a grad student's salary. It was terrible. There was no nobility in it at all. In the summer, it was 95 outside and 85-90 inside. In the worse parts of August, I started going to the local mall and walking around or sitting in a chair in the court area and reading until closing time. Then, I'd rush home fast, take a cold shower and jump in bed, hoping to fall asleep before I started sweating like a stevadore. Finally, when I got a modest raise, I bought a small and reasonably efficient window unit and put it in in the bedroom. I'd sleep at night with the bedroom door shut and the rest of the apartment open to the "breezes". That window unit was one of the best purchases I ever made. I could sleep at night, did better at work and school, and my complexion was a lot better.

Can't do it. Actually, I have to run mine cooler than I need it ...my son gets so flushed and has issues with the Phoenix heat. So no misplaced nobility it keeping it hot--it's necessary for my little boy!

"neighbors softly coming home from a night out" Really? I've never known anyone to come home "softly" (whatever that really means) after a late night out!

I've been foregoing AC as much as possible myself. I don't have a roommate so there is no competition to be had. One thing that finally did me in one night was simply the neighbors smoke alarm needing the battery replaced. They had their window open all night and after an hour of listening to the thing "chirp" every 30 seconds echoing between the brick courtyard walls I finally had to shut the window and turn on just the fan in the window AC unit to cover the annoying sound. It has been several weeks and the thing is still making that hight pitched chirping sound.

I'm in Toronto and live mostly without A/C. My apartment has central air, but I'm on the first floor of an old (seemingly well-insulated) building with a tree outside my window. I sometimes put the air on for five minutes in the late afternoon to remove some of the accumulated humidity, click it off, and the place remains cool. I could also be getting some of the air from the hallways/other apartments. I previously lived without A/C in Windsor, ON (talk about humidity!) for two years.

After sweating it out in Florida last summer, I don't find Toronto gets all that warm in comparison.

I'm also confused about the "we've cheated but still going strong" remark. I think the fact that you've cheated really negates the whole idea. You can say you are cutting back, but you've already admitted to not actually going without AC.

You just have to be creative to live with out AC! I live in Southern Indiana and I'm not stranger to humid, 90 degree weather! Personally, I do not have an AC unit and I'm happy to go without! I have a window fan I use to pull cold air in at night and shoot hot air out during the day. I move the fan into the hottest room during the day (which is the kitchen where all my biggest appliances are) which helps keeps the hot air out!! I also draw the curtains during the day to keep the sunlight out! I try to stay out of the house during the day if I can and do all my cooking in the early morning or evening hours. I have plenty of ice cream bars in the freezer, as well as ice cubes!! (:

We were going to get a central ac system this year, but the contractor kept canceling on us. Finally decided to go without it, but put a couple of window units in the bedrooms. So far, we've only had to switch them on just once.

Keeping the house cool has been a bit of a project: opening all the windows at night, exhausting the attic with window fans, and pulling the shades during the day has been key in keeping the ac's off. Cold slices of watermelon and jugs of ice tea are at hand for when it gets really bad! :)

It's extremely humid in the Cincinnati area where I live. Ceiling fans are a must, AC is highly recommended on very humid days. We've had about a week of really nice, cooler (low 80s) weather and I turned off the AC. I've enjoyed it. I like listening to the birds in our yard and I feel more aware of our neighborhood and surroundings.

I hate a/c. Or, at the very least, I hate window/wall units. i have slightly more tolerance for central air, although I don't encounter it very often.
I hate the fake, stuffy smell of the air when all the windows are closed. I hate the constant noise that drowns out all else.
Perhaps it is the fact that I live in Minnesota and I have to have windows closed due to colder temps for a large percentage of the year... when i can have my windows open- I WANT them open.
I went a summer w/o electricity (b/c I WAS poor- and electricity seemed an easy corner to cut) and I didn't miss the a/c one bit. Or the lights, for that matter.
I agree that it is often cooler outdoors than indoors- no a/c definately encourages getting out of the house. Efficient use of window coverings can also help cut down on the heat- We have west facing windows- but closing the curtains at 4 easily cuts down on the worst of the afternoon heat.

Here in So. Central Texas, it's hotter than three kinds of hell and I am not going through summer and suffer. Let's not forget also the 100% humidity. I run the AC and happy to have it.

oh yes.
two summers ago i was dirt poor student living in manhattan, and couldn't afford a window unit. so i went without it for may...june...july...then august came and the heat and humidity was a complete beast. i broke down and bought an AC unit. I didn't eat for a few weeks, but oh man, it was worth every penny.

i could finally sleep, and best of all - no more cockroaches sneaking in through the open window!

I've gone without A/C my entire life so far, so of course I can continue on without it. Kids these days and their new-fangled contraptions. Honestly.

I hear what you all are saying, but right now I'm having a hard time relating. I live in Seattle where we've only just broken 75 degrees for the first time all month last week! Today, I'm wearing wool pants and a sweatshirt!!

I used to live in Atlanta and hated it because of the weather. People used to ask me about the rain in Seattle, but the humidity in ATL was far worse than any rain in SEA! My bf and I would argue how low to keep the AC in the summer (I wanted it colder), and warm to keep it in the winter (he wanted it warmer).

I know that people lived in the subtropic climate of New Orleans for hundreds of years before AC was invented and didn't die of the heat and humidity, but I am not made of that hardy stock. I am crazy envious of all of you who can go without and have power bills that are under $50. Mine can top $250.mo in the long, long summer (May - October) and that's for a house under 1100 sq. ft. *sigh*

I live in Virginia which means not only heat, but humidity! As much as I would like to forgo my A/C I just can't bear the humidity once it sets in. However I did make a deal with myself that on the days where there is a significant breeze and the humidity is relatively low, I will turn of the A/C and open up all the windows. Other than that, I'm sorry to say I'm an energy sucking vampire from May-September.

I live in LA and while I don't use the AC during the day in the house, I do like to use it at night during heatwaves in the bedroom. While I think it's honorable and fun to see how long you can go without AC, I've learned that as I get older it's not worth trying to save the extra few dollars in exchange for a good nights sleep.

ugh, this post makes me cringe on many levels.

Most houses in my area (SF Bay Area) don't have AC, it usually only gets over 100 a few days a year and even then it is mostly inland areas.

But I can attest for being able to survive without AC in heat and humidity, when I was in Russia during the Summer is was 90 degrees temperature and high humidity most of the time. I was miserable when I first got there, but you do adjust because there really was not another option, most places do not have AC.

In our Boston apartment, all the windows are of the variety that slide from side to side. We have not been able to find an air conditioner that fits and/or would not damage the metal window tracks with its weight.

So we have for five years been doing without. We bought thermal draperies from J.C. Penney for all the windows. We have fans in several windows, including the bedrooms. In the early mornings we open all the windows to let the coolest air of the day circulate through. When it begins to get warmer outside than in, we close up the windows, doors, and draperies for the duration of the day. This method keeps the inside air in the 60s, 70s, or low 80s F on most days, even when it's in the nineties or higher outdoors. Again the evening when it begins to get cooler, we open up and air out, and turn on the fans. On the hottest days we spend longer times in AC at work or go to a public library, restaurant, grocery store cafe, movie theater or academic building to cool down in institutional AC. This approach is similar to that used traditionally in southern France and in Italy, where houses are equipped with shutters inside to keep out the sun during the daytime.

Uuuuhhh great idea but, yeeeeeah.... who edited this piece?

Why start out by beating us over the head that you have money.

What the hell does "softly" have to do with ANYONE coming home from partying and drinking?

And why is "cheated" in quotes in the article. It belongs in quotes here. Did you allegedly cheat? Is cheat a euphemism that we may not be privy to? Or did you just plain cheat but fail to tell us how.

Now that would have made the article much more interesting.

Native Houstonian here. Nice idea, if that's what floats your boat. But there is NO way I could or would go without AC....ever.

I live and work on the top floor of a townhouse (fancy word for attic) in Richmond, VA. Today it's nice. The window is open and the fan is on. But if that temperature gauge hits 85F before 11am you better believe I'm turning the AC on. On the other hand... I can keep the thermostat set lower in the winter because the computer puts out a ton of heat. It's better than a space heater sometimes.

Humidity is the worst to cope with I find, so do what we do in Hong Kong, get a dehumidifier and you won't have to run the AC as much. A dehumidifier uses a lot less energy than an AC.

I never had AC until after grad school (living in various parts of Missouri, Indiana, Massachusetts, and New Mexico - second floor west-facing uninsulated brownstone in St Louis was the worst - I'd go to bed with a bag of ice every night...). When I moved to Arkansas, I never even found any apartments without central air. I try to limit my usage, but there's a fine line between saving money on electricity and spending money to replace everything that's been destroyed by mold...

I live in the DFW area where from May to late September it rarely drops below 95, and that's with a cold front. I don't think I could handle living without AC.

Bought a house in the Midwest 2 1/2 years ago and I still haven't put in a/c. It works really well except for 3 or 4 nights each summer when I don't think I can live another minute. The great thing about the house is that it has several very mature trees and is in just the right place to pick up every available breeze, so fans are all I really need. It was built in 1950 with no insulation to speak of, so I'm quite lucky, but don't get me started on heating bills in the winter.

People burn calories when regulating our body temperature. Having air conditioning is an excuse to get fatter.

Yikes, what's with all the crankiness today? I didn't get the sense that Adrienne was being annoyingly superior, I thought it was just a post with a light-hearted tone.

Most of the points in the post are true, after all. I grew up without A/C, so I know from experience that it is very cheap, and it's nice falling asleep to crickets or soft rain. It's also true that your body adjusts a bit (During sleepover parties at air-conditioned houses, my friends would sleep in shorts and tanks while i was shivering if I didn't pack flannel pajamas).

But here's a crucial point - it was really easy to forgo A/C in my childhood house! It was built in the 1800's so it was designed to be naturally comfortable. It was a very modest cottage but had screened sleeping porches, windows placed to provide excellent cross-ventilation, nice thick brick walls. Oh yes, and it was located on a peninsula in the Chesapeake Bay, so no matter which way the wind blew, we had a nice steady breeze blowing off the water almost all the time (later we moved a few miles over to a back marsh, where we sweated and cursed and slapped mosquitos all summer. BIG difference).

Nowadays, I wish I could live without A/C. I hate wasting money, I hate the noise of our central unit. And when it's cool enough for my boyfriend, my teeth are chattering. But we're right in downtown DC, so there are no crickets chirping or waves lapping. We have drunks shouting and trucks rumbling and guns firing. Lots of smells and dust, and then you have the urban heat island effect from the concrete baking in the sun all day. Plus my boyfriend grew up in Michigan, so he literally sweats puddles in this humid southern heat. No contest - I choose conditioned air over soaking wet bed!

We have made one big adjustment in an attempt to reduce our bills though. Our attic has NO insulation, just some shredded newspaper. The landlord doesn't give a damn, and the 2nd floor feels like a car that's been in the sun all day. The first floor is usually 15-25 degrees cooler - I've checked with a thermometer! So this summer, we partitioned off a section of our living room, and moved our bed down there. It's allowed us to set our thermostat much higher so the A/C doesn't come on nearly as much. It's worth it to save hundreds each month.

I think using or not using A/C says much more about your climate and your home than about your character. After Hurricane Katrina, I remember a friend down there telling me that a lot of modern apartment buildings were abandoned not because they had flooded, but because they were inhabitable until the power grid was restored. The worst were the high-rises with windows that didn't open. Meanwhile, the old houses were semi-bearable until the power came back because they had cross ventilation.

So when I finally get around to buying a house, I am seriously paying attention to the energy efficiency and design!!!

I would be more understanding/accepting of the "no A/C" argument if there were better reasons than, "your friends will be impressed!" and "it makes your dwelling prettier!"

(As I write this, I can still hear birds chirping outside, even with my A/C unit blasting furiously).

I live in Texas and and I'm a generally cold natured person (my friend thinks I'm crazy cuz I'm comfortable with the AC at 83), but I would NEVER do this. Ok, you save money, but are you comfortable at home? Do your friends want to come over and hang out? If you can afford it, why deny yourself? People all over the world survive in extremely hot climates without AC because they have no choice; be happy you have the option and can afford it.

Unless you live in the country where it will be cooler and you can get more breeze, the inside of your house will be upwards of 85 degrees *at night*, higher during the day, and that's given you don't open the curtains to let in hot sunlight or the windows (at least in Houston the humidity raises the temp about 20 degrees). Also, most home these days aren't built to maximize a cross breeze, so opening windows doesn't help much.

If I had a friend here who lived without AC, I'd think they were crazy, not tough, and I wouldn't want to visit their home. Why even try living without AC when people die every summer in Texas from heat stroke?

Oh, and I have my AC off now cuz it's been rainy and isn't hot, and all I keep hearing is some jerkoff neighbor's goats and chickens (I live in a suburban neighborhood). I'll take the noise of the AC over that.

i grew up on latitude 49N - even after almost 40 years in southern Ontario, i still have not "adjusted" to the humidity.

once the internal temperature of my house gets to 25C/77F, the air goes on. i am fortunate that my home is oriented exactly east-west and the small windows on the south side are blocked from the worst of the sun by my neighbour's house.

lately, we've been having heat indexes in the 100F range - i consider my central air to be necessary to my existence in that.

and my hydro bill is between $50 and $70 year round.

humidity heat apartment levels of sunlight = mold and mildew. I hate AC at home, and happily live without it in the north. In the south -- I hate it, but it's better than living in a bog. I really think that old houses (cross breezes! ventilation!) are much better than apartments or the typical well-insulated modern house (designed to keep the climate controlled air in) when it comes to foregoing the AC.

This feels really, really silly to me. "Your friends think you are tough"??? Ugh. This "Your place looks more attractive"... Doesn't matter how tough your friends think you are or how "attractive" your place LOOKS... if it's 90 degrees inside, your snobby friends aren't going to care how attractive it looks inside... because they're going to stick around the apartments with A/C. Not to mention that I've done a damn good job of making my apartment attractive looking, a/c or no.

And: "summer sounds are more noticeable"?? I sleep with TWO sound machines and a fan year-round to drown out the sound of reggaeton and cat-calling on my (beautiful, wonderful) street while I sleep.

All in all, I'd much rather have a/c and have the TWO benefits of: being able to sleep more than one hour a night, and not sweating out all of my body's water in one hour, than engage in a contest with my roommates and suffer these five "benefits."

Bitter? You bet. I've spent two summers in NYC without A/C and I can't stop talking about how awesome it is now that I have it.

I lived without air conditioning for years. It's only since a recent bout with Lupus, worsened by Montreal's horrible humidity, that made me cave and get a window unit. I only use it at night, and only on low - I can't stand living in a fridge.

The last time I was without AC was after Hurricane Andrew. In Miami. In August.

And that will be the only time I will EVER be without AC.

On Monday (when I return home to NJ from my glorious vacation) it will be 99 degrees with 80% humidity. I would be absolutely out of my mind to not turn on the a/c.

well, it was 115 in phoenix today so needless to say the a/c is a phoenician's best friend. unfortunately, here dry heat means nothing, it feels like a hellish oven from may-september.
i actually had a revelation this afternoon when i had to take my toddler w/me to run an errand. i put her old frozen teethers on top of the car seat buckle when we went into the store. so when we got done i didn't have to worry about burning her w/the hot metal like usual. there are some good ideas left in this mommy head after all! :)

I haven't used my AC since I've moved to Honolulu (though I did use my space heater a few times). I've noticed the key is having good air flow. Most apartment buildings here have outdoor corridors so apartments have windows on both sides of the unit. I've been in apartments here with interior corridors and they were hot and stifling, even when the trades were blowing.

Reasons I will never be without Fridgy (my beloved air-conditioner).
1. Hello! I'm a guy.<<< this means I'm a human blast furnace. This means you (girl-type) are a human popsicle. Or a fudgesicle. Or a bomber-pop. You choose.

2. I sleep really well with the white noise. And you make those "sounds" when you sleep. So do I.

3. Coolness begets snugginess, which begets smiles in the morning.

4. Smiles in the morning mean you get breakfast made by me :-)

I have pets who have no say in their comfort so, no. I'm going to keep my AC. Anything, long-term, over 85 can be dangerous to many pets, especially birds, who get overheated easily. I'm all about buckling down for noble reasons (like saving money) but if I have the extra bucks it's worthwhile to me to have my comfort. Windows in my house take up about 50-60% of exterior wall-space so I do try to limit my use of AC by adjusting the blinds on certain windows throughout the day as the sun shifts, opening windows on breezy days, using fans in every room, keeping the ac at 82 (and a fan on in the bird's room) when I'm out of the house or gardening. But you, nor your friends, should be sweating in your home.

Another dweller of a top floor apartment - the way I see it the top floor is the way to go since it's normally quieter since no one is walking around above you. Plus I get vaulted ceilings in my living areas and high ceilings in the rest of the place.

There is still a happy medium between the $170 bill which allows you to feel like you are living in Alaska in winter and having no a/c so you feel like you're sitting near the equator getting the most sun. I like to keep the a/c to where I can comfortably sit around in my normal clothes (in summer, capris and a tank top are norm) and not be having to fan myself. I do use a fan to spread around the cool air.

Also, I stick to an at home temp and adjust myself if I feel too hot/cold. 79 degrees is 79 degrees no matter what so if I am feeling hot, it's likely that I came from outside or am wearing too much clothes (I'm a big fan of lightweight cotton/linen house dresses/sarongs!). I turn the fans off, change/take up clothes, grab a cold drink, and suck it up until I even out.

I live in Toronto and despite our reputation as being part of the snowy north, it really is hot and humid here during the summer months. It's about 31 degrees (90 F) today and feels like 41 (106 F). We have 2 young children and I'm expecting a third any day now. We live on the upper floor of an old house and don't have A/C and it really hasn't been a big deal. If it gets miserable at night, we have a couple of big freestanding fans we turn on to get the air moving. Otherwise, we just wear light clothing, take cool showers, and keep a freezer full of popsicles. We also keep most of the lights off and avoid using the oven. There are trees shading the windows around the back of the house and that really helps.
I really don't enjoy the heat or being out in the sun, but I still find it reasonable to live without A/C.

I have been living in South Carolina w/out air conditioning for 7 years now. No central heat either. I'm still kicking & have not been sick in a very long time. Just a personal choice I make. When you begin to live a low-impact life, you learn to truly appreciate it.

PS- you can also avoid summertime 'inner dampness' by drinking primarily room-temperature beverages.

Some of the older houses in Iran have underground rooms just for Summer, with very high ceilings and little windows at the very top. When we were kids we hung out there from about 11am to 3pm, having lunch, drinking lemonade, playing games and enjoying the totally perfect temperature, no electricity needed.

I couldnt agree more. Numbers one thru three, I live by it.

1. I just spent $700 on a wall mirror from anthropologie, but I'll be damned if I piss away more than twenty bucks on electricity. Im retarded like that.

2. Soooo true, and Ive never thought about that before...

3. My favorite noise ever, winter or summer, is the train whistle. Not RTD (denvers regional city train), Im talking about union pacific. It amazes me, no matter what city you live in, how far you are from the tracks, you can always hear the train whistle, in the middle of the night. Most beautiful, relaxing noise ever. Not to mention crickets, rain, late neighbors, ambulance and fire trucks ;-)

4. It amazes me how easily people in my building blast the AC. Its July 3rd and 84 in my apartment right now. So anything below 80 is almost orgasmic, and I hear people's units blowing when its like 75 outside, Im like 'what a waste'.

Overall, I just dont like what I term "false air". In the winter, Id rather battle cold with blankets and wool jammies than have heat blowing into my place (thank goodness for excellent insulation). And in summer, I dont like the idea of having windows closed (when would they EVER be open, if you dont open in summertime). And it makes me super appreciate those perfect spring and autumn days that much more.
Overall, low energy bill, increased toughness, summer noises.

why are there so many negative comments regarding this post! sure, number four and five are a little silly, but obviously they aren't supposed to be taken as seriously as one through three. OBVIOUSLY. the point of this post is to make us aware that maybe we can be using less energy. people get so angry and defensive when it is suggested that they go without something!

Am I the only person with terrible allergies? I'm allergic to trees, grass, mold, and a host of other things. Opening the windows and turning on a window fan isn't really an option for me if I'd like to breathe, and spending a lot of time outdoors means taking a shower as soon as I come home to wash off the allergens, anyway. Plus I'm really uncomfortable in the humid DC summers. As far as I'm concerned, the money saved is nothing compared to my health -- I'm happy for the AC at any price!

I need mine in the bedroom at least to sleep at night. And I'm in Mass.

I live in Austin and LOVE to keep the air off. Even thought it gets really hot and really humid, to me the sound of hearing nature outside my window is preferable to keeping cool inside. There are certainty days when I agree to have the air on, but I've learned I don't always have to be "cool" in the house using the air conditioning to be comfortable.

Although I think it depends on what kind of place you live in. My apt is pretty shaded by trees, so it doesn't get a lot of direct sun. If it did, I think I would have to run the air a lot more.

Living in Japan for several years, where night-time usage of air conditioning units are fanatically linked to just about every summer-time ailment, and energy costs are ridiculous, my husband and I became accustomed to leaving the A/C off. Having recently moved to Dallas, we kept up the habit. But to be fair, this is most likely due to our concrete walled and floored apartment, high ceilings and two strategically placed ceiling fans...and less about Japanese stoicism.

I like to wear 6-ply cashmere sweaters and wool parkas when the temperatures reach 90 outside. During the winter, I usually wear shorts and tank tops. I am superior. You are inferior. Ha ha ha! Bow down before me.

Having not grown up with a/c, I can say it was one of the best purchases I've made once I became an adult. It's silly to feel miserable and lethargic in hot humid weather if there's something that you can do about it. City dwellers don't always have the option of opening windows for a fresh breeze... diesel fumes from stop go traffic isn't exactly healthy to breathe in.

I live in LA, work at home, and use it in the day. I live by the AmTrak yard in an industrial zone, and I'm not about to breathe grit all day.

And the "freakishly low bill" has far more to do with Texas utility regulations than anything else. You could live in a cardboard box in Southern California and still owe a fortune in utility "fees" and surcharges.

I live in an 1913 co-op apartment with a pretty courtyard and fountain, which is a historic landmark. I think because of the designation, there is a rule that you can't have air conditioners in the windows facing the courtyard, spoiling the look of the facade.

Whole apartment ac is a non starter, because most of the walls are thick concrete, and anyhow, the wiring really isn't up to it. My main rooms-LR and DR face the courtyard. This is my first summer here, and I was pretty worried, as I came from a rental where I blasted the ac like a loon.

Here, there is one small unit in the 2nd bedroom-where the tv and desk are...plus 2 ceiling fans- in the LR and sunroom. I am doing really well with the purchase of just 2 extra fans- one for my bedroom to encourage the cross breeze across my bed, and an air mover one for the DR. The fans can be pretty noisy too, but it is a much more natural feeling, and I have a better tolerance for the heat outdoors these days.

These older buildings are often cooler than more modern ones...you notice coolness coming in at the front door on a hot day. The airconditioning at work is starting to be too chilly for me, though.

I can't imagine going without air conditioning in Austin. I would rather cut back to Ramen noodles for every meal in order to afford A/C!

I do really love the when I can open the windows and get a fresh breeze, but that's only about two months a year. The rest of the time it is either too hot or too wet or both!

I have gone without A/C for a long time. I live near Chicago and for at least 6-months windows are closed due to cold weather. I'm not about to go 12-months just to be a cooler. I like to hear outdoor sounds. Yes, I do consider the energy savings. This is my "green return". It's summer; deal with it.

Someone just raised the point of direction-facing. I am lucky that my apartment faces north, top floor. Shady, bright w/o the direct sunlight, and good breezes. HUGE factor.

I hated it in the wintertime, but its been a godsend for the summer. It all balanced out, in the end.

I live in Ireland and after reading all these responses I feel like the most meteorologically blessed person in the world LOL

(And although I sympathise, I would like to point out that 100% humidity is actually rain)

^^^Thats not true. About the rain, I mean..

My apartment is in the attic part of an old house turned apartments.

There is no way I am living without an AC... seriously, I would probably have a heat stroke and die.

We did hang up a sheet in the hallway on a shower curtain to keep the air in the bedroom and living room, thus not needing to put the AC on a high power to cool both rooms. Plus we can push the sheet to the side and out of the way if we want.

I would DIE if I couldn't turn my AC on. It's hot like HELL in Chicago during the summer. They are expecting 90 today.

I keep my blinds, curtains and shades closed during the summer months. I open the windows when it's cool enough though and I enjoy a nice breeze when there is one. I don't like to waste/pay for electricity, so I use a window unit at night in my bedroom and turn off the central air because there's no need to cool the entire house. When I am home after work, it's the opposite.

No A/C for me in Denver...I'm just fine :) Though there was a really hot week a while back, 85 degrees F by 9 a.m. every day, and mid-to-high 90s in the afternoon.

A few weeks ago a power substation near me exploded into flames at about 6 p.m. on a record-hot day. People need to simmer the heck down with their A/C!

I live on the third (top) floor of a historic landmark, and we keep the ceiling fans running for most of the summer. Energy-saving fluorescent bulbs help a LOT - they don't put out as much heat as incandescent bulbs. We drink lots of iced tea and sleep naked with no covers.

I grew up in the foothills. Colorado is basically high desert, so unless you're in a heat-sink city, the temperature plummets at sunset. Open windows at night and closed windows in daytime were my mother's house-cooling strategy.

We have five cats, one of whom is very fat and another who has long hair. All the cats mostly laze around on the tile floor or marble coffee table, and they enjoy the breezes from the windowsills. When fattie and fuzzy are panting, we dunk them in cold water. They don't like that, but it does cool them down fast!

i nearly died today of exposure. then i got home and ran the a/c for like 2 hours straight. it felt AMAZING. i live in houston, god only knows why.

I grew up in the mountains too (ah, I miss the days of rarely needing AC)

I will say there is one odd benefit you can get from not using AC-

Humidity.

Yes, yes, in most places getting ride of that humidity along with the hot air is a great thing! But if your air is kind of on the dry side already, the moisture sucking properties of AC can be murder on your nose and throat if you've sensitive. Half the reason we never turned on AC in my house as a kid was because Dad and I would get slightly sore throats and painful noses if the AC was left on overnight. Only cure was to run a humidifier or leave the AC off.

Er, the spellcheck on my phone murdered that post. I normally don't have such terrible spelling, honest.

I've managed 32 years without air conditioning in California (San Jose and San Diego). But there are days when it sounds like heaven.

I live in Chicago and it depends on the year and month, at least when I lived in my first-floor apartment. I love to sleep in the cold, I will even leave my bedroom window cracked open on most nights in the winter. For me, having AC in the bedroom is a must, but I can just keep the door closed and it really doesn't add much to the electric bill for just cooling one small room.

Usually, for one month a year I would need to use the units in the other rooms because it started to become unbearable, but it wasn't necessary.

I now moved to the top floor of a 3-flat and that changed everything. It's about 1100 sq ft and I need 3 units to keep it reasonable. We just got back from the holiday weekend where we turned off the units while we were gone. Yesterday, even after the units had been running for almost 24 hours straight, the 92 degree weather with 50% humidity outside felt better than whatever was going on inside. Finally, the whole apartment feels in the 70's today.

Back when the temp was only in the high 70's and low 80's we visited a friend's that didn't have AC and I'm not going back until the fall, and that was at night when it was 'cool'. I don't think they are brave or saving money for not having AC. I think they do not spend their money well because they cannot budget properly for AC. I'm sure your friends are saying 'tough' to your face but thinking 'idiot' in their heads.

You're stating that where you live it is 10 degrees cooler inside, that's nice, but it's also the humidity that is really annoying. Also, in my unit, it is easily 20 degrees warmer than it is outside. I also hope you enjoy your long nights and tired days, but my job performance improves and that is worth that $5/day for how much I, or anyone even with a part time job, gets paid. I think modern window units with their digital readings and such are attractive, especially when you first walk inside and want to stand right in front of it for a minute.

Also, you might notice that you spend more time out of your apartment over the summer instead of at home, where you're paying for meals or drinks or whatever. The money saved from having home-cooked meals might be less than how much you spend out. Also, when you are out, you're just paying someone else to have their air conditioning turned on so you are paying for AC in some way.

Woohoo for our friends on the coast of California for not using A/C. But does it even break 75 there? ;)

er...cmelton13, do you live in Columbia? Cause if you do and can survive without AC, I'm in awe.
I wish I could. But this place is an armpit. Am thinking of trying multiple fans to create a cross-breeze, though, so I maybe can cut down on the electric bill a bit.

hygebeorht & Keisha are making me laugh/sad. We've had those temps this summer in Houston and I was just talking with someone about what a cool summer it's been (for here). Usually it's much hotter and much more humid. I need to move.

Hey, I love the fresh air as much as the next guy, but it's only enjoyable when I'm not sitting in a puddle of my own sweat.

I live in a desert and I don't have air conditioning. One summer was so unbearable that I lost weight because I couldn't eat and plus I took 3 hour naps during the hottest part of the day (I am a teacher and don't work in summer). So it is do-able but really I am not sure if it is really worth it.

I love living without an air conditioner! I rely on my ceiling fan during the warmest nights.

However, I would have a hard time if my apartment were cold in the winter.

I grew up in Southern Missouri on a farm without AC, and now live in southern Arkansas. Air conditioning feels great, and I turn it on in my car, but I prefer to live without it in my apartment. I like to hear outdoor noises and ceiling fans work just fine. The key is cold showers before bed, slowing down during the hottest part of the day, and ice tea.