Enjoying the outdoor pool in a cold climate

Background: The article explores the significance of abundant geothermal resources Icelanders enjoy, the comfort of inexpensively heated homes and easily accessible year-round public spaces where young and old can gather irrespective of social standing, age and bodily condition. Result: In recent de...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geothermal Energy
Main Authors: Jónsson, Örn Daníel, Rastrick, Ólafur
Other Authors: Viðskiptafræðideild (HÍ), Faculty of Business Administration (UI), Félags- og mannvísindadeild (HÍ), Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (UI), Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ), School of Social Sciences (UI), Háskóli Íslands, University of Iceland
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2017
Subjects:
Geothermal utilisation
Appropriate technology
Sustainability
Cultural practices
Swimming pools
Jarðhiti
Sjálfbærni
Menning
Sundlaugar
North Atlantic
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/277
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-017-0060-5
Description
Summary:Background: The article explores the significance of abundant geothermal resources Icelanders enjoy, the comfort of inexpensively heated homes and easily accessible year-round public spaces where young and old can gather irrespective of social standing, age and bodily condition. Result: In recent decades, the outdoor public swimming pool has become the most frequented gathering place nationwide. In the harsh climate of the North Atlantic, the harnessing of geothermal resources has transformed everyday practices in terms of heat and cold. But the transformation did not occur through adoption of readymade generic technological solutions but through an interplay of social, political and technological factors. Thus, the article shows how the adoption of appropriate technology, case-specific technological advancements designed in the context of utilisation, in the use of geothermal resources played central role in instigating social change. Indeed, the successful introduction of appropriate technology has had pervading social and cultural consequences, normalizing its generous use and yet in a way that is responsible in quest for the ecologically sustainable. Conclusion: The utilisation of geothermal water has come from being a response to a dire social, climatic and economic situation to contributing to issues of social welfare and overall wellness. Peer Reviewed

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