Air Conditioning: Appreciation or Annoyance?

Wow, is it hot. 44 degrees C with humidity.

Thanks to one of the most loved modern inventions those of us experiencing a heat wave are sitting cool in our offices, driving with the windows up, or lounging comfortably inside our homes.

Not me…I think I am one of the few who doesn’t love air conditioning.

Air Conditioning and Stress

I hate going from a beautiful summer day into a restaurant or store only to be as cold as I am at a hockey game. My husband and I have a car with dual temperature settings. I can’t understand how 15 degrees in the summer is enjoyable when it is hot outside, but 15 degrees in the winter in our house is freezing.

‘Snow’ in July is just not right. Keep the temperature set at a reasonable summer level. Beverly Beuermann-King Click to tweet

With the fans circulating the air, my well insulated house stays around the 75 degree mark. It may get slightly higher if a heat wave goes on, but really, I am okay with that.

Now, I am not anti air conditioning, but I do suggest that maybe we need to rely a little less on it and be a bit more responsible using it, especially as we consider the impact that it may be having on climate change. As one source noted:

To deal with heatwaves, made more frequent by climate change, the number of AC units is expected to more than triple worldwide by 2050. As well as guzzling huge amounts of electricity, AC units contain refrigerants that are potent greenhouse gases. These refrigerants are in fact the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in every country on Earth.

Beverly’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Air Conditioning Appreciation Days:

If you enjoy 22 degrees in the winter, why turn it to 15 degrees in the summer. It is okay to be a bit warm in the summer – it is summer after all.
Keep your air conditioner maintained. A clean filter lowers the consumption of energy by 5-15%.
Put your air conditioner on a timer so that you lower your energy consumption.

Don’t have an air conditioner and trying to still get a good night’s sleep in the heat?

Choose cotton. Light-colored bed linens made of lightweight cotton are breathable and excellent for promoting ventilation and airflow. otton jammies will help you fall asleep faster.
Ice Pack. Stick a hot water bottle in the freezer to create a bed-friendly ice pack.
Use a fan. Point box fans out the windows so they push hot air out. Adjust ceiling fan settings so the blades run counter-clockwise, pulling hot air up and out. Make a DIY air conditioner by placing a shallow pan or bowl full of ice in front of a fan. The breeze will pick up cold water from the ice’s surface as it melts, creating a cooling mist.
Drink some H20. Sweating at night can result in dehydration, so get some H2O in beforehand.
Take a warm bath. The warmth brings blood closer to the surface of your hands and feet. This lets you get rid of extra heat and cools your bloodstream when you get out.
Hang it up. Cool down a whole room by hanging a wet sheet in front of an open window. The breeze blowing in will quickly bring down the room’s temperature.

You might wonder how did the air conditioner come to be?

Well it started with the Ancient Egyptians hung wet mats over their windows and let the air blow through them to cool the room. Leonardo da Vinci invented a water-driven fan in the middle ages. South Carolina physician John Gorrie invented an air-conditioning and refrigeration machine. However, in 1902 a young mechanical engineer named Willis H. Carrier really started the ball rolling on what we now use today.

From

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/189994/celebrate_air_conditioning_appreciation.html

If you have some strategies to share – comment on this posting!