Influence of Air Conditioning on Population Growth

This research examines the influence of air conditioning on population growth in the Southern and Southwestern States of the United States. The focus period in this research begins in 1945 and extends to 1979. A brief history of air conditioning is presented as a part of this study, as is a brief biographical sketch of Willis Carrier who perfected the technological concept of air conditioning to the point where widespread application became practicable.

Following the presentation of the historical and biographical material, the marketing of air conditioning from 1945 through 1979 is examined. Comparisons of the growth of the use of air conditioning in the Southern and Southwestern states and population growth in these states are presented following the examination of the marketing of air conditioning. The final investigative discussion included in this study considers the motivations of people from other parts of the United States to move the Southern and Southwestern states in the wake of the increased use of air conditioning in these states. The research findings are summarized and conclusions drawn from these findings complete the presentation of the study.

The Southern and Southwestern states were defined according to the guidelines of the Bureau of the Census of the federal government. The District of Columbia and 16 states were considered in this research to comprise the South/Southwe

. . .
conditioning industry had not yet convinced the American public that "they actually needed air conditioning. This explanation, however, overlooks the importance of price. The price of home air conditioning in the late1930s was simply too high in relation to the value of the structure to be cooled to be justified by the overwhelming majority of Americans. This price relationship would have been a valid and unfavorable decision criterion even if the nation had not been in the last stages of the Great Depression. The nation was still in the economic mire, however, and home air conditioning never really was a viable option for most people. Carrier's early models of home air conditioners "were bulky, expensive, difficult to install, and likely to break down." The company sold only one thousand of the units over the 19371939 period. As late as 1948, a Carrier Corporation marketing study concluded that the profit potential in residential air conditioning was unattractive. In mid1945, some firms began marketing evaporative type air cooling systems for residential use. These units, known popularly as swamp coolers, were priced much lower than the far more effective refrigerant air conditioners produced by Carrier and other
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Southern Southwestern, South Location, American City, South Southwest, Willis Carrier, North Carolina, White House, Southwestern Population, Association Homebuilders, Carrier Corporation, air conditioning, southern southwestern, population growth, air conditioners, south southwest, air conditioned, air conditioner, 1950 1980, 1920 1950, 1950s 1960s, 1950s 1960s 1970s, southern southwestern population, absolute population growth, southwestern 1950s 1960s, southern southwestern 1950s,
Approximate Word count = 4201
Approximate Pages = 17 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Influence of Air Conditioning on Population Growth