> there is a stigma people have that heating is essential for life, but A/C is optional. It's not a stigma, but a reality. Humans survive in a certain temperat

> there is a stigma people have that heating is essential for life, but A/C is optional. It's not a stigma, but a reality. Humans survive in a certain temperature range. On large parts of the earth for large parts of the year, the outside temperature is below the safe range. On only a few small parts of the earth - often where there are no other resources - is the temperature above the safe range. Humanity survived 200,000 years without A/C; I'm guessing heat was a necessity pretty early on, at least to inhabit most of the planet. And anyway the question is irrelevant. We need to reduce energy consumption; is this some sort of competition between the heating and a/c industries?