Artificial cooling fundamentally shapes our lifeworlds. Since the onset of the Cold War, cooling and freezing technologies have become increasingly vital for a wide array of everyday practices, from nutrition, to health and reproduction, dwelling, telecommunication, scientific research, and economic productivity. A global system of cold storages, cold chains, and air-conditioned spaces has become an energy-intensive, yet barely considered, planetary infrastructure. This artificial cryosphere is all around us, yet we have no unified account of its history, extent, or function. We know even less about the social desires, norms, and values – in other words, the cryogenic cultures that drive the globally growing demand, but unevenly distributed use of artificial cold.
In the context of global warming, demand for artificial cooling will escalate significantly as countries around the world grapple with unprecedented temperature increases. Projections indicate a fivefold increase in energy required for global cooling by 2050. Meeting this vast energy demand with existing resources is neither feasible, nor sustainable. Moreover, artificial cooling systems contribute considerably to CO2 emissions, further aggravating global warming and leading to even higher cooling demands. This creates a vicious cycle stoking social conflicts and ecological crises.
CultCryo posits that without a thorough understanding of how the global infrastructure of artificial cold is intricately woven into cultural practices, averting a global cooling crisis will be unattainable. To reimagine our relationship with cold, it is crucial to start with an in-depth examination of the cultural dynamics that drive our unsustainable reliance on artificial cooling. This ERC Synergy Research Project explores the formation of both cold-producing and cold-consuming cultures, examining their spatial and temporal configurations, concepts, norms, and practices. By investigating their historical contexts and geographical varieties, CultCryo also aims to identify potential alternatives that could foster a more sustainable future for artificial cold.
