Climate and ERE

[secretwealth]

So I'm in Guatemala in my second tropical climate within a year (I went to Thailand in May). I've come to realize that it isn't so much living in a third-world country that is conducive to ERE, but living in a warm climate.
While I'm here, I notice I have less needs. Beyond the obvious lack of wasting fuel to heat and/or cool a house, I need less food and find myself made lethargic by the weather. I don't think this is limited to so-called poor countries--I've experienced much the same in Los Angeles.
It seems to me that there is something about a tropical climate that makes people less eager to work hard and stress out. What do you think?

[lilacorchid]

Well, I would not say that heating my house when it's -30C out is wasteful because I like it when I don't freeze to death. I would say that there ways of doing it that waste less though!
I know I work slower and eat less when it's hot out. How can you not? Heatstroke anyone? I also eat and sleep more when it's dark and frozen out. Need more energy to stay warm I suppose?

[jacob]

There's some [famous] book that assigns the industrial revolution of northern Europe to its sucky climate. I forget the title.

[jennypenny]

Guns, Germs, and Steel?

[Dream of Freedom]

Some people are physiologically better suited to a certain climate. The ratio between the surface area to the mass of a person affects how fast heat leaves the body. Have you ever seen a person who didn't want to go outside because it was "sooo hot"?
The idea that heat changes how much you do is interesting, but I tend to stay home and do less in the winter when I don't want to go outside because its "sooo cold".

[timothy goh]

then there's the book that assigns choice of crop cultivation to work ethic (Outliers). I live in Singapore, which is as tropical as you'll ever get. We don't seem to be a bunch of slackers though. Maybe it's the air conditioning.

[lilacorchid]

Bigato, I would agree with you until it gets to the extremes. You can go outside when it's -40, but you'll find that things don't quite function the same (or at all) at that temperature. And once the heat and humidity get a humidex rating past 45C, you're looking at heatstroke if you aren't careful.
I can push mentally all I want in those extremes, but in the end, nature wins, so I just take a day off and regroup.

[JohnnyH]

I think I might be a big fan of seasons, the more continental (at least not Siberia) the better!... They're like lazy, free vacations every few months.
My only two wants are: tolerable in summer without AC and plenty of firewood for winter.

[Myakka]

I believe the rule of thumb is that it takes 7 years to adjust to a new climate.
When I first moved to Florida (from New York), I found the summers oppressive and the winters a joke. Nowadays, I am just fine with the summers and find the winters cold. This is despite having a body type that is in many ways well designed for Finland (an arctic climate).
My experience is that you can and will adjust to your climate in time and eventually will experience it more or less the same as your neighbors do.

[blessed59]

I wish I adapted in 7 years. I have been in this land of subzero winter for a long time and still am not adapted. I am still a 110 is fine person but below 65 is miserable. I love heat. Truly love it. I am rarely hot but always cold. It is 67 in the house now. I am in multiple layers and freezing. I love that feeling in the summer when you get in a hot car for the 1st few minutes. I had no problems with heat in Arizona , TX or UT when we lived there.
I do think we would save $ in a warmer climate. For one there wouldn't be such a short gardening season. Two we wouldn't be spending so much $ on heating in the frigid temps.