On "1973: Arab Oil Embargo Popularizes Programmable Thermostats"

Energy crises make thermostats matter, and that's when the industry gets serious about them—but we're forgetting that lesson in the current moment. Nixon's 6-degree ask wasn't just messaging; it created actual demand for control technology that contractors could install and customers would actually pay for, because the pain at the pump was real and visible. Today's push toward smart controls and zoning is riding climate talk and code compliance, not the immediate wallet hit that drives adoption. Worth remembering when you're pitching an upgrade—the thermostats that moved in the '70s sold because they saved money right now, not someday.