How to Stay Cool Part 3: Tips to Help You Avoid the A/C, Save Energy & Beat the Heat

So far we have talked about how to keep our homes cool during the heat of the summer while avoiding energy-consuming air conditioners, but it doesn’t stop there.  There are still lots of tricks that you can use to keep yourself comfortable this season when temperatures soar. Trying beating the summer heat the eco-friendly way by using these green tips:

• Drink lots of water: Keeping yourself hydrated prevents heat stroke and makes your body feel cooler. Always carry a reusable water bottle with you that you can refill as needed. Avoid salt, alcohol, and sugared drinks which will generally dehydrate you.
• Shower often: Take short, frequent cold showers throughout the day (half a minute will suffice). Bodies radiate heat from hands, feet, face and ears, so cooling these areas does wonders for bringing down your body temperature.
• Lose your hairdryer: Rinse your hair and leave it wet; the evaporating water will cool your body. Also, you will be saving energy.
• Alter your diet:  Your diet can have an effect on your body temperature, so keep your favorite icy treats, such as frozen yogurt popsicles or frozen fruit, close at hand. Also, eating spicy food, which increases perspiration, can actually cool you down. Check out some of our vegan and vegetarian recipes!
• Siesta: If you have a flexible schedule, take a nap in the high-heat of the afternoon.
• Sleep cooler: If the heat is keeping you from resting at night, try these ideas:
• Put a small pillow in the freezer an hour or two before you go to bed. Put a few plastic shopping bags over it to keep ice from forming on the fabric.
• Hide your bedding from the heat by hanging them up in the coolest part of the house during the day (for example, in the basement, or where there's a lot of shade) then putting the cool fabric back on your bed in the evening.
• Use cotton bed linen, since synthetic fabrics tend to be less breathable
• Sleep with a fan on to maintain constant airflow in your bedroom
• Seek lower levels: Heat rises, so if you're in a house or multi-floor apartment, seek comfort on the ground floor or lower floors since they will be the coolest.

Keep checking in the community over the next few weeks for new posts in this series. By the end you will be an expert at keeping cool and comfortable without an air conditioner, all while saving money and our planet.

If you have any other tips on how to stay cool without the A/C, leave us a comment and let us know.

Part 1 of our Series on Staying Cool in the Summer

Part 2 of our Series on Staying Cool in the Summer

Image courtesy of Creative Commons.

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