Is an evaporative cooler more eco friendly than an air conditioner?

The evaporative cooler works based on an old technique of forcing air through a water soaked pad or cloth to cool the air in a space. Other than water and the electricity needed to run a fan, this type of cooler has no parts that are bad for the environment. Air conditioners, on the other hand, contain freon, which is not environmentally friendly and is harmful to the ozone. You don't have this chemical with an evaporative cooler. Evaporative coolers are more low tech and easier to fix, whereas standard air conditioning units that can not be repaired only take up space in landfills.