The Amazing Reasons Arizona Perfected These 3 Inventions

We don't just survive the desert here in Arizona; we've conquered the quirks and idiocracies of the arid life.

I know people from out of state who shake their heads when Phoenix temps hover around 111 degrees. You won't get any argument from me. That's hot. And while you could set your watch by someone remarking, "Yeah, but it's a dry heat", we smile (a little smugly) because we know that we're not just surviving, but thriving in this climate.

Here are three ways we've leveraged technology to live our best lives in the harsh Arizona climate.

Why is Solar Energy Heating Up in Arizona?

Helloooo. Sunshine is our brand. Nothing else really makes sense here. What are we going to do, build a hydroelectric dam on the Hassayampa River?

(Spoilers: we're not going to do that. Wikipedia describes the Hasayampa as an "intermittent river" that "only subsurface flow for much of the year." A dam is out of the question.)

READ: You Won't Believe These 25 Things that Were Discovered in Arizona!

Arizona experiences at least 300 sunny days every year. It makes more sense to lean into solar energy, which we began doing in the early 2000s.

Thanks to federal and state tax credits, which are up to 30% and 25%, respectively, homeowners began installing rooftop panels. Solar cooling systems now power air conditioners directly from the abundant energy of the sun. It’s one of the many things in Arizona that just makes sense.

READ: Is This a Scam? Solar Energy in Arizona Exposed

Who Made Arizona’s Water Feel Less Like Sandpaper?

I was visiting family out of state recently and thought there was something wrong with my shampoo. Their water was so soft, I wasn't sure I'd rinsed all the soap out of my hair. I was this many years old when I realized that not everyone showers, then uses half a bottle of body lotion just to keep their skin from flaking away. The water in Arizona is so hard, it's a miracle there aren't actual rocks coming out of my showerhead.

That’s why water softening systems became a local obsession. Engineers here perfected salt-based and salt-free systems to tackle our calcium- and magnesium-rich tap water.

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Water softening systems can protect plumbing, improve the life of appliances like water softeners and coffee makers, and make showers feel like spa treatments instead of sandpaper scrubs. Soft water is possible, my friend, and the innovations began in Arizona in the 1990s and 2000s.

READ: Is It Legal to Collect Rainwater in Arizona?

How Did AC Become Arizona-Essential?

Air conditioning didn’t just arrive; in Arizona, it conquered and helped us thrive.

Willis Carrier (who should be nominated as the Patron Saint of Arizona) invented air conditioning in the early 1900s. It laid the groundwork for comfortable summer living. Arizona made the development an essential tool for survival.

By the 1950s, central AC was standard in new builds, and now over 90% of homes rely on it. Phoenix’s triple-digit summers turned AC from luxury to lifeline.

Thanks to this innovation, we can harness solar energy to cool our homes while sipping glasses of water-softened iced tea. Ah, life is good.