Eco-friendly Tips on How to Survive a Heatwave
With the height of summer approaching, temperatures are only climbing. Though, while air conditioning may feel good, it doesn’t exactly do good. Air conditioners can cause massive harmful effects on the environment that you might not even know about.
What are some of the negative impacts air conditioners have on the environment?
Air conditioners create negative effects on the environment in several ways. Their cooling agents and energy use are two of the biggest contributing factors to their harmful effects.
Air conditioners need to have cooling agents and these cooling agents are often CFCs and HFCs. When CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) are released they can cause an increase in ozone depletion which creates holes in the ozone layer of our atmosphere. The ozone layer is an essential filter for UV radiation that protects life on earth. The more holes we create in the ozone layer, the less protection we have against harmful radiation.
Air conditioners also require mass amounts of energy for proper functioning. One of the main ways we choose to produce electricity is through burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, gas, and biomass. The burning of fossil fuels is extremely damaging to the environment and greatly furthers air pollution, water pollution, ocean acidification, and much more. Furthermore, when burned their emissions create greenhouse gasses which trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere and effectively contribute to global warming.
How can we survive the heat while keeping the health of the environment in mind?
Water
Stay hydrated! Water helps regulate body temperature and fight off dehydration. Avoid drinking any sodas, drinks with high levels of caffeine, and alcohol as they tend to dehydrate the body even more. Dehydration can lead to excess sweating, lower energy levels, overall weakness, and more. Sticking to only water will ensure your energy stays up while your body temperature stays down.
Fans
While fans do still use electricity, they are almost always much more energy efficient than AC units. Using fans in dry heat doesn't help much as it will only push hot air around, but you can create a cooling effect with a fan by placing a bowl of ice water in front of it. The ice water will cool down the air the fan is pushing out thus making the fan's effect even more refreshing. Take it a step further by using ceiling fans and keeping doors inside the house open to promote air circulation.
Washcloths
Washcloths can be a very simple but effective way to keep cool. Soaking a washcloth or towel in cool water and placing it in the fridge, or taking it a step up and placing it in the freezer, creates a cold compress that you can wear around the house. You can also freeze water bottles and keep both in your bed during the night to keep cool.
Clothing
Choosing the right clothes to wear can often be a big help. The types of fabric your clothes are made with have an impact on how much heat is kept insulated towards your body. Fabrics made from natural fibers like linen, silk, and cotton are found to be more breathable and lightweight making it easier to stay cool. Choosing to wear lighter colors will also help fight off some heat as darker colors tend to absorb more heat.
Public Places
There are ways you can stay cool with air conditioning while not using it yourself. Public places like malls, libraries, and retail stores have to use air conditioning. Hang around in places like these to feel the effects of air conditioning while still lessening your personal use of it.
This article is in no way, shape, or form trying to deter you from ever using air conditioning again. These are just a few simple ways you can stay cool during the summer while also keeping the environment in mind and lessening negative contributions towards the environment. Please be sure to use air conditioning in serious cases of heat that cannot be remedied by these tips.
