https://xcancel.com/nytopinion/status/1829879853165765055
https://archive.ph/lxKBc
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/31/opinion/heat-wave-air-conditioning-climate-change.html

  • khizuo [ze/zir]
    ·
    17 days ago

    You all know that air conditioning is a crucial accessibility issue, right? Many chronic illnesses/disabilities cause heat intolerance. While we should be working on finding greener solutions, telling people to cut out air conditioning from their lives can slide into ableist territory real fast.

    • khizuo [ze/zir]
      ·
      17 days ago

      This is the plastic straw nonsense all over again, where the discourse around "reducing impact" always comes around to blame disabled people for having accessibility needs.

        • khizuo [ze/zir]
          ·
          17 days ago

          No, disabled and chronically ill people were protesting plastic straw bans because plastic straws are an important accessibility tool. Plastic straws help disabled people who have poor motor control, have chewing or swallowing issues, cannot lift cups to their lips, etc. Here's a good Alice Wong article on it.

          • Hexboare [they/them]
            ·
            17 days ago

            But the microplastics! I shout, wearing a pound of plastic clothing that gets agitated in hot water, soap and detergent after every use

            • bubbalu [they/them]
              ·
              17 days ago

              Easy simply rarely wash your clothes like I do. I probably do laundry 8 times per year. I just have a bushel of underwear and usually only really need to change it 3 times per week. I don't smell or have any hygiene issues. I am somewhat overweight and physically active too.

              I also wear a lot of natural fibers bc I am afraid of the plastic lol.

              • sinstrium [none/use name]
                ·
                17 days ago

                In older times people would wear underclothes because washing your clothes would ruin them too quickly.

          • sinstrium [none/use name]
            ·
            17 days ago

            There has always been a deep link between "the ableist semi-eugenics crunchy just go natural no chemicals" crowd and environmentalism.

    • qcop [they/them]
      ·
      17 days ago

      And when you point out that if they want to take individual actions, the single best action they can take is going plant based rather than air conditioning, they flip out and tell you that they use paper straw and that's already a lot