# Swamp cooler (evaporative cooler)

Type: Technology

Source: Climate Intelligence Brief — https://getclimatebrief.com/entity/swamp-cooler-evaporative-cooler
Canonical HTML page: https://getclimatebrief.com/entity/swamp-cooler-evaporative-cooler

## Timeline

- **1950**: Standard AC goes mainstream — Traditional air-conditioning units become standard across the U.S. only in the 1950s, while central air conditioning remains a luxury.
- **1930**: Swamp coolers spread across the Southwest — By the 1930s, evaporative coolers are cooling states such as New Mexico and Nevada, transforming livability in arid regions.
- **1908**: First U.S. evaporative cooling system — Oscar Palmer perfects America's first evaporative cooling system in Arizona, refining principles used in ancient civilizations.

## Recent coverage (1 stories)

### Since 1908, swamp coolers deliver low-energy cooling as heat rises
2026-08-24 02:08:18 · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 5/10 · Sources: 2

Evaporative 'swamp coolers,' perfected in 1908 and still in use across the arid Southwest, offer a low-cost, low-energy cooling alternative where dry heat allows. As extreme heat and cooling-driven electricity demand climb, the technology's century-old efficiency argument is newly relevant—though rising humidity limits its reach.
Full story: https://getclimatebrief.com/story/swamp-cooler-low-energy-cooling-climate-1908

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