Review: "After Cooling" — The Chilling History of Freon and the Cost of Comfort
A review of Eric Dean Wilson's book "After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort," which examines the history of Freon and air conditioning — from its invention to its devastating environmental impact. The article opens with the recent Pacific Northwest heatwave (116°F in Portland) as a visceral example of the climate crisis, then uses Wilson's book to explore how the chemical that made modern cooling possible also contributed to ozone depletion and global warming. The piece reflects on the paradox of air conditioning: a technology that provides life-saving comfort while accelerating the very warming that makes it more necessary.
Key quotes
In Portland, Oregon, it hit 116 degrees—hotter than Los Angeles, Dallas, or Miami have ever been.
Multiple cites in the state of Washington surpassed 115 degrees. Meanwhile, across the border in Canada on Tuesday, one small village tied with Death Valley for the highest temperature.
After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort by Eric Dean Wilson. Simon & Schuster, 480 pages.
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