Beating the Heat without AC

Keeping your cool when it’s hot outside isn’t always a flick of a switch away. For those without air conditioning, excessive heat can make you sluggish, unproductive and downright crabby! However, there is hope for the hopelessly hot. Here are “green” tips to help you enjoy your summer without melting away like the ice cubes in your drink. • Keep it moving. The movement of air over the skin is what helps keep your body cool, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. So take advantage of any bit of breeze blowing outside, by opening a few windows on opposite ends of a room. Stirring up that hot, stagnant air and getting it moving can help the room stay cooler and hopefully move it right on out of the house. • Every little breeze counts. If the breeze alone isn’t enough, apply some fan power. Even small inexpensive tabletop fans can get the air moving. Place one by a window, facing the room to help bring the air in; then place one at an opposite window facing out to blow the warm air out. What you’re creating is a nice “wind tunnel” in effect, helping to pull air through the house. • Put the breeze on ice. If using a fan alone isn’t creating the cool air flow you’re in need of, place a wide, shallow bowl of ice in front of the fan. The ice-cooled air will be noticeably cooler than the room air for the amount of time it takes for the ice to melt. • Is your ceiling fan cooling or heating? Most ceiling fans will have a small switch on the side reversing the fan blades’ direction. When the blades are turning clockwise, they push warm air down, which is helpful in cold months. In the summer, however, flip the switch to keep the cool air circulating. If you’re thinking of installing one, although they do require some up-front installation costs, they are a more inexpensive and “greener” option as opposed to a room air conditioner, using only about 1/30th the electricity. • Savor the cool morning air. Open the windows in the early morning to let cool air in but be sure to shut them before you leave to keep it in and the impending warm air of the day out. Also keep blinds and curtains shut as sunlight pouring into the house only creates more heat. • Unplug. Use as little electricity as possible. Lights left on are not only wasting electricity, they’re creating heat as well. Other electrical appliances also create heat when in standby mode, so mind your outlets and unplug! • Dryer air is cooler air. Reduce indoor humidity as it can make a room feel warmer. To do this, minimize use of the washing machine, clothes dryer, and dishwasher. Also limit showers to early in the morning or late at night and take your cooking outside to the barbeque. If you must do these things, open vents and turn on ventilating fans to help extract the warm, moist air. However turn them off when finished as they can also extract the nice cooled air you’ve worked so hard to create. • Keep your pulse points on ice. Cool down your body heat by as much as three degrees Fahrenheit for up to an hour simply by keeping your wrists and other pulse points cool. To do this, hold an ice cube wrapped in a washcloth against them for instant relief. • Cool your tootsies. Cooling your feet lowers the overall temperature of your skin and body. Rinse a pair of cotton socks in cold water, wring them until just damp and then put them on. Ahhhhhh! • Buckwheat is best. When it comes pillows or futons, purchase ones with buckwheat fillers. Besides being a healthy alternative to synthetic stuffing, they don’t retain body heat and will help keep you cool all night long. • Gotta have it. If you feel you just can’t live without air conditioning, there are greener options than central air conditioning that use far less energy and pollute less as well. For starters, try a single window unit. However, be sure the model you choose is sporting the Energy Star label. Another option for hot, dry climates is an evaporative cooler which cools the outdoor air through evaporation and blows it into the house. These units make for a nice alternative to traditional central air conditioning, as they cost about half as much to install and use only one quarter of the overall energy. Whatever your method, keeping cool with a “green” mindset will not only let you enjoy your summer even more, but will help to keep our earth from getting too warm as well.