> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.cascadepbs.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Can We Solve the Air Conditioning Paradox?
- URL: https://www.cascadepbs.org/show/its-okay-be-smart/episode/can-we-solve-the-air-conditioning-paradox-b3lklt/
- Published: 2024-04-02T23:16:44.000Z
- Updated: 2025-08-20T09:54:39.000Z
- Description: Global warming means more air conditioning…causing more warming 🤦. Could new chemistry he
- Author: Cascade PBS Staff
- Tags: Be Smart, Season 11, Episode 4, #ZZZ_Episode_23f83cfb-f05a-48ed-8f3a-604ab2c8c877, #episode, #ZZZ_Show_dc38a6e9-266e-43c1-b647-45e7445fad27, #v1.16

As Earth warms, billions of people in the developing world will face life-threatening heat waves, raising demand for air conditioning. But powering all that cooling is going to take more energy, which will, paradoxically, require more fossil fuels burning, creating more carbon and more warming. So scientists are developing new kinds of air conditioning, including solid, refrigerants.