New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism after issuing two public messages that many critics argue send conflicting signals during the city’s latest extreme heat emergency.
As temperatures climbed and officials warned of a historic heat wave, Mamdani urged New Yorkers to reduce electricity consumption by setting their air conditioners to 78 degrees. Shortly afterward, he encouraged residents to check on elderly family members, friends, and neighbors, reminding them that older adults are especially vulnerable during prolonged periods of extreme heat.
The combination quickly became a point of debate online.
“If you have an older loved one, friend or neighbor, check in with them today,” Mamdani wrote on X. “Make sure they’re staying hydrated, spending time in the air-conditioned spaces whenever possible and know where to find the nearest cooling center.”
That message came only after the mayor had appealed to residents to help reduce strain on the city’s electrical grid.
“New York: it’s hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool,” Mamdani wrote in an earlier post.
He asked residents to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees, turn off unused lights and electronics, unplug devices when possible, and help lower electricity demand during peak hours. The city, he said, would follow similar conservation measures by limiting energy use in government buildings, dimming lights where appropriate, and powering down non-essential equipment.
“A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved,” Mamdani wrote. “Let’s ease demand—and get through the heat—together.”
The city has also expanded its broader heat response. Officials announced additional Cooling Outreach On-Location (COOL) vans, extended operating hours at public pools, and opened eight more cooling centers at facilities including libraries and other public buildings. According to the mayor’s office, forecasters warned that temperatures could reach as high as 112 degrees, making the event one of the most severe heat waves in recent memory.
Even with those measures in place, critics argued that asking residents to conserve electricity while simultaneously emphasizing the dangers of heat for older adults created an obvious contradiction.
Conservative commentator Gina Milan responded on social media by writing, “You just told old people to keep their air at 78. Are you on drugs?”
Other users questioned how elderly residents could adequately protect themselves from dangerous temperatures if they were being encouraged to reduce air conditioning use.
Supporters of the mayor countered that setting an air conditioner to 78 degrees does not mean turning it off, and that energy conservation during periods of unusually high demand is intended to reduce the risk of widespread outages that could leave everyone without cooling.
The exchange reflects a broader challenge facing Mamdani as he begins implementing policies after campaigning on a platform that frequently connected climate policy with everyday quality-of-life issues.
During an interview with The Nation before his election, Mamdani argued that climate policy should not be viewed separately from issues affecting daily life.
“Climate and quality of life are not two separate concerns,” he said. “They are, in fact, one and the same.”
Among his proposals were expanded investments in public infrastructure, including schools that could serve as emergency shelters during extreme weather events.
The latest controversy also prompted some observers to note that requests for voluntary energy conservation during heat waves are not unique to Mamdani or his administration. One social media user pointed to archived materials showing that then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, issued similar appeals during a major heat event in 1999.
