OT: Is this something we should actually worry about?!

        Do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car.

            Open the windows after you enter your car
            and then turn ON the AC after a couple of minutes.

            Here's why:   According to research, the car
            dashboard, seats, air freshener emit Benzene, a Cancer
causing toxin (carcinogen - take time to observe the smell
of heated plastic in your car).

            In addition to causing cancer, Benzene poisons your bones,
causes anemia and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged
exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer.
Can also cause miscarriage.

            Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50mg per sq.ft.
            A car parked indoors with windows closed will contain
400-800 mg of Benzene.

            If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60
degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg,40
times the acceptable level.

            People who get into the car, keeping windows closed will
inevitably inhale, in quick succession, excessive amounts of
the toxin.
            Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver..
What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to
expel this toxic stuff.

            So friends, please open the windows and door of your car -
give time for interior to air out -dispel the deadly stuff -
before you enter.

There is an article on www.snopes.com on this...it actually says that there are elevated benzene levels in cars, but that they are actually higher in winter, suggesting that it's not the air conditioning causing elevated levels.  If you go to the snopes website, type "benzene level in cars" in the search bar to bring up the article.

its in the 90s here already... my ac goes on as soon as key goes in.... its way to hot

Sorry but I call BS.

My AC is on before I even get into the car, same with heat in the winter (I have an automatic car starter so i start from inside home and let car cool down/warm up). If it were true I'd have cancer and half the people I know with kids wouldve miscaried.

Simone

Actually, whenever I get in a hot car, I find it cools off much quicker if you put the AC on full blast and crack each window about an inch. It blows the hot air out (seriously). I am glad I've done it, and better to be safe than sorry!