Most Texans are used to temperatures that reach 100 degrees during the summer. In New York City, residents have recently struggled with a heat wave that has many of them leaning more than usual on air conditioning.
The city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, suggested on social media that residents should keep their thermostats at 78 degrees to conserve energy. The idea didn’t go over well with some of the mayor’s opponents.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga wrote about the thermostat drama for CNET. He says the advice to keep your thermostat set to 78 goes back to the Jimmy Carter administration.
Highlights from this segment:
– Mamdani’s advice came in response to temperatures in New York City that exceeded 90 degrees.
– Republicans and conservative political pundits attacked Mamdani for suggesting New Yorkers sacrifice their comfort in the name of energy conservation. Some even suggested lives could be lost.
– Advice to keep thermostats set to 78 degrees or above had been displayed on the federal Department of Energy website until after the controversy, when those pages appeared to have been removed. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also gave the advice during the summer following 2021’s devastating winter storm, and energy grid failures.
– Smart thermostats often provide eco modes that can help users stick to a specific temperature, or turn it up when you’re away from home.
