Weather-Ways: Experiencing and Responding to Everyday Weather Eliza De Vet University of Wollongong

University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2014 Weather-ways: experiencing and responding to everyday weather Eliza de Vet University of Wollongong Recommended Citation de Vet, Eliza, Weather-ways: experiencing and responding to everyday weather, Doctor of Philosophy thesis, Department of Geography and Sustainable Communities, University of Wollongong, 2014. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/4244 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] Weather-Ways: Experiencing and Responding to Everyday Weather A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY from UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG by Eliza de Vet AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CULTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES 2014 i ii Abstract Climates are changing, yet how these changes will affect individuals in their everyday lives is unclear. In climate change research, weather and climate (change) have largely been represented quantitatively. Such representations offer individuals, societies and institutions limited tangible explanation of future climate change, impeding efforts to develop and implement effective climate change responses. In order to comprehend the realities of climate change and potential adaptation capacities, research must recognise how individuals and societies currently relate to weather in context of everyday life. This thesis contributes to research on weather relations by exploring the role of weather in everyday life in Australia. Conceptualising the everyday as a compilation of practices, this thesis examines practices relating to transport, work, domestic heating and cooling, household chores, food and leisure. Advancing a concept of ‘weather-ways’, the thesis closely observes how individuals experience weather and respond accordingly by adjusting daily practices. Specifically, in exploring weather-ways, this thesis: 1) documents how weather is experienced and responded to, in order to understand current and future weather relations; 2) identifies weather response strategies, including practice elements that limit or afford resource-effective strategies, so as to recognise individuals’ inherent capacity to respond to micro-scale climate change; and 3) examines air-conditioning as a specific form of weather relation and response strategy, with the aim of contributing to future efforts to reduce technological dependence. To document and understand the different weather-ways that exist within Australia’s diverse climate, two study areas were selected – tropical Darwin and temperate Melbourne. The weather-ways of 16 Darwin participants and 20 Melbourne participants were recorded. In iii response to concerns over the capacity of conventional methodological approaches to generate insights into the intricacies of weather and everyday life, two serial methodological approaches were employed – diary-photographs and interviews with a short-term retrospect. To inform future research, the capacities of both approaches are assessed as part of this thesis. Documented weather-ways illustrate the integral role weather plays in participants’ everyday lives. Participants’ weather experiences support assertions that thermal comfort exists beyond narrow comfort conceptualisations. Furthermore, findings show that comfort is not only irreducible to degree of temperature, but is a reflection of temperature duration and the presence, temporality and intensity of other weather elements such as humidity, wind, cloud cover and rain. Personal circumstances and performed practices are also central to how weather is experienced. Between participants’ comfortable and uncomfortable weather and air conditioning experiences, acceptable ‘manageable’ conditions emerged. Manageable conditions draw attention to a problematic comfort/discomfort dichotomy within previous engineering and architectural research. Potential approaches to overcome restrictive conceptualisations and practices of comfort are deliberated. Weather response strategies adopted by participants in both study areas were diverse. These included personal, environmental, technical and spatiotemporal adjustments in addition to an equally important but previously overlooked strategy - tolerance. The extent and effectiveness of participants’ response strategies were demonstrated during the extreme yet seemingly everyday events of Cyclone Carlos. In closely examining weather responses, factors that limited or afforded resource-efficient strategies were identified. Factors included the provision iv of outdoor living spaces in Darwin, and secure and authorised outdoor clotheslines in Melbourne, both of which reduced the need for resource-intensive devices. The importance of regularly exercising response strategies was also evident from participants’ accounts. Participants’ air-conditioning experiences and practices were spatially contingent. In the workplace, discomfort was regularly recorded, while in the home and car, air-conditioning was generally used sparingly. While international concerns over air-conditioning ‘addiction’ appear premature (Cândido et al. 2010), potential issues relating to current and future trends were discernable. Issues related to: peak-energy demands; limited knowledge of effective resource- independent response strategies; climate inappropriate or poorly maintained infrastructure; gendered expectations of corporate attire; and the conceptualisation of the car as a space to escape everyday environmental, financial and acclimatisation concerns. These issues point towards potential avenues to intercept escalating air-conditioning usage in Australia. Weather-ways recorded in this thesis further knowledge of current everyday weather relations. Results emphasise the willingness of participants to remain engaged with weather and its changes and their capacity to respond with limited resource reliance. Findings can contribute to future research pursuing greater comprehension of the daily realities of climate change, and avenues to support and promote a lower carbon society. v Candidate’s statement I, Eliza R. de Vet, declare that this thesis, submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy, in the Department of Geography and Sustainable Communities, University of Wollongong, is wholly my own work unless otherwise referenced or acknowledged. The document has not been submitted for qualifications at any other academic institution. Eliza de Vet 4 May 2014 vi Acknowledgements The last four years have been a whirlwind experience. I have many people to thank for keeping me grounded and giving me direction. First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor Lesley Head. Not only did she provide me with the opportunity to pursue a PhD, but she gave me the space to make this thesis my own, to explore my interests and to make mistakes, while giving me guidance and reassurance as needed. For the confidence, knowledge and experience I have gained under her supervision, I am eternally thankful. To AUSCCER staff and students, thanks for a supportive work environment. There are a number of AUSCCERites I would like to thank personally. A special thanks goes to Chris Gibson for his suggestions during the early stages of my research and for providing comments on my final draft. I would also like to thank Leah Gibbs, Chris Brennan-Horley, Kate Roggeveen and Christine Eriksen for their shared PhD experiences and advice that was always encouraging. To my colleagues and friends - Anna, Ben, Elyse, Rosie, Chantel, Theresa and Indre - I will always be grateful for the hours of conversation and company in the field. I would also like to thank my father, Guy de Vet, and Nathan Simpson for their editing assistance. The generous contributions and hospitality of participants who made this research possible is greatly appreciated. I would especially like to thank participants who went out of their way to show me around and invited me to coffee and social outings. These were always memorable and insightful fieldwork events. I would also like to thank Françoise Barr from the Northern Territory Archive Service for her assistance and shared personal experiences of living in Darwin. To Michelle, who found me wandering the streets of Darwin after Cyclone Carlos and offered her services as a local guide, chauffeur and chef for the day, her unexpected kindness vii will always be remembered. From Melbourne, a massive debt of gratitude is due to Louise. Even though we met for the first time on her doorstep, she welcomed me into her home like an old friend. In a city where I felt anonymous, I always had a home to return to each evening. While I occupied her couch for weeks on end and scattered her small unit with newspaper clippings, books and fieldwork equipment, she never complained. I hope I can only repay the favour someday. Outside of work, I would like to thank all my family and friends who have kept me sane over the last four years and who have forgiven me for prolonged and noted absences. I cannot thank my parents enough for their help and support. While I flew the nest years ago, they still went well out of their way to make my life and my PhD journey as stressless as possible. Last, but in no way least, I would like to thank my husband, John. Despite both of us navigating through the busiest periods of our personal

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