No A/C? No Problem! 10 Tips to keep Your Car Cool While Driving During the Summer

By now we know how to keep ourselves and our homes cool during the heat of the summer while avoiding energy-consuming air conditioners, but what about in the car? Luckily there are plenty of ways to go through the whole summer without using your car’s air conditioning system. The trick is to be inventive and plan ahead. By not using your car’s A/C, you not only will be saving you money at the pump, but you will also be keeping the air a little cleaner.

Trying beating the summer heat the eco-friendly way by using these green tips:

• Use a windshield shade when you park your car: This will keep heat from entering your car when you’re parked, allowing your car to stay cool for longer once you start driving again.
• Install reflective window tinting on the windshield and windows: This will reduce the direct sunlight coming into your car while also protecting from damaging UV radiation.
• *Note: Some provinces and states do not allow this practice so double check if this is legal in your area.
• Dress down when commuting: If you know you have a long commute, try to drive in a light weight, breathable outfit. You can always change your outfit once you get to your destination.
• Roll down the windows: To help increase the air circulation even more, turn on the car’s fan, and open a rear window enough to draw a draft through the vehicle.
• Look for shady routes to your frequent destinations: Tree lined streets and roadways are often shady for much of the day, so seek these out as alternative to your usual routes.
• Plan your travel times to be during the cooler parts of the day: Early morning is often the coolest time of the day, and if you're not on a fixed schedule, plan on doing as much driving as possible before the heat becomes unbearable later in the day. Try to avoid driving home mid-afternoon, to avoid the worst heat of the day. This practice may also help you avoid rush hour!
• Freeze water bottles to use as ice packs. You can keep these frozen bottles in the car to help you cool off, then drink the cold water once it melts. Browse our marketplace for reusable water bottles.
• Drive with wet hair: Our heads radiate heat, but as the moisture evaporates from your wet hair, your scalp will cool off, bringing down your whole body temperature
• Take off your shoes: Driving barefoot is illegal in many places, but taking off your shoes and slipping on a light pair of sandals can do wonders to keep you cool in the car. Your body lets out a lot of heat through your feet, so allowing your feet to breath will help keep you cool.
• Hang a cold, damp rag over the middle vent of the car: The air that blows through will be much cooler.

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

Part 3 of our Series on Staying Cool in the Summer

Image courtesy of Creative Commons.

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