TL;DR: Yes, I know it's hot. Using the air conditioner is making it hotter; there's a global plan for making air conditioners safe again, but in the meantime we all need to calm down on the air con; 9 obvious things (you might not have thought about) to try before you turn it on. The problem:
It's freaking hot. As the planet warms, those of us with access to air conditioning are using it more and more to cope with the heat. But our temporary coping measure is contributing to the accelerating climate problem, in two ways:
The solution: For now, you can use your air conditioner less (or not at all!) There is a plan to phase out HFCs over the next 10 years (it's called the Kigali Accord), but it's still crucial that we manage our use of air conditioners as much as possible while the climate crisis still hangs in the balance and HFCs are still in use. This feels so obvious, but here are 9 things you can do before you resort to switching on the air conditioner at home this summer. 1. Close all the doors and windows. Early in the morning, while it's still cool, close the blinds against the glaring sun and keep cool air in. This can delay the time before you switch on the aircon by several hours. 2. Then open all the doors and windows. Opening windows on the opposite sides of a building creates cross-breezes, which have a powerful capacity to keep the place feeling cool. This might be enough to keep you from using the air conditioning at all. 3. Get outside. Sitting out on your deck or in the backyard (if you have one) can be significantly cooler. Even better if you have a wading pool. When a really hot day is forecast, make plans to get yourself to a nearby park, green space, waterhole, public swimming pool, rainforest or beach. 4. Get your feet in water. This is one of the most effective ways to lower your personal body temperature. In our family, we fondly remember the Christmas that we dragged a kiddy pool under the dining table and all sat with our feet in it while we ate Christmas lunch. If you're sitting for prolonged periods (like working on your computer or watching TV), try putting your feet in a bucket of cold water. It works! 5. Make a cold neck wrap. Wrap a few ice cubes in a tea towel or washcloth and sit it on the back of your neck. As the ice cubes melt the cloth becomes soaked and your whole body feels cooler. 6. Get a spray bottle. Water evaporating from your skin makes you feel significantly cooler. Fill a spray bottle with water and spritz yourself from time to time. If you're in a breeze, you'll feel colder straight away. 7. Use the fan. Well, obviously. Before you switch on the air conditioner, do the obvious thing and try using the fan. It uses power, but there's no harmful refrigerant factor. And if you're using an ethical power supplier, you're investing in renewable energy. 8. Go somewhere already air conditioned. Rather than turn on your own air conditioner just for your use (or your family's), go and make use of some energy that's already being burned. Go to the shops, the movies or the local library, or even round to a friend's house where you know they've got the aircon on. 9. Plant a tree. It's not rocket surgery: it's cooler in the shade. Tree cover has a tangible lowering effect on local temperatures. If you have land, fill it with trees. Join in on a local tree-planting effort, give saplings as gifts (and encourage others to plant them), and/or take an active role in shaping your local council's tree-planting policies. It won't pay off right away, but in the long run we'll all be glad we planted more trees. Next steps:
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