How to survive in New York without air conditioning
Summer in New York is sticky, stuffy and long. The sun's rays are reflected from concrete and asphalt, making the crowded metropolis feel like an evil giant heats the city through a huge magnifying glass.
Most residents, of course, turn on their air conditioners in June and turn off in September, writes The simple doll. The journalist of the publication decided to conduct an experiment in order to save money and potentially benefit health, and therefore refused the air conditioner. For two years now, Houseman and his wife have not used cooling systems for Day and explain why this is important and how to improve their well-being in a room without air conditioning.
- You save money
If you use box fans instead of window air conditioners, your budget will thank you. Such a fan costs about a third of a cent per hour, while an air conditioner will cost 14. With 12 hours of daily use per month, an air conditioner will cost $50 more than a fan. Over the summer, you'll save $150 in usage alone, not to mention the cost of purchasing a window air conditioner—around $200 or more.
- You test your strength
Hedonic adaptation is the idea that we quickly become accustomed to improved life situations. Buying a new car is enjoyable only for a short time, then we get used to it, and so on until the next one. Since my house doesn't have air conditioning, I appreciate it much more when I'm in an air-conditioned place, and therefore don't depend on it hedonistically. Not having air conditioning at home makes me a better worker during the summer because I am grateful that the office has a cooling system.
- You help the environment
Air conditioners consume about 6 percent of all electricity in the United States and produce 117 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. I'm not going to pretend that I save the planet, just because I do not turn on the air conditioner, but I am pleased to know that I am contributing my little bit to the fight against the negative environmental impact.
How to survive the summer without air conditioning
There are plenty of ways to control the discomfort that occurs in the heat. Here are some of my favorite strategies to stay comfortable and healthy:
- Take a cold shower
When I feel stuffy, I go to the bathroom and stand under the cold running water - this gives me about 20 minutes of comfort. If things are too bad, you can shower once an hour and theoretically cut the time you overheat by a third throughout the day.
- Close the curtains
Keeping your blinds or curtains closed during the hottest hours of the day can help reduce your room temperature by as much as 20 degrees. At first it annoyed me - I love natural light, but my wife convinced me to try it. The difference amazed me.
- Limit device use
It goes without saying that you will not use the oven on hot days, but you will feel the difference by turning off most of the appliances. The more you can turn off, the better, because everything that is plugged in or powered by batteries radiates a small amount of heat.
- Understand the bed
Everyone likes to arrange their bed in their own way. My favorite thing is a thick blanket. But in the heat you have to be creative - so now I sleep only under a thin sheet. This summer we placed the mattress directly on the floor because the heat rises. Want to strengthen your practice? Try sleeping on a bamboo mat.
- Practice gratitude
This is especially useful when I start to worry about the lack of air conditioning. List what you are grateful for, from good health to good relationships with family and friends. After all, tormented not so much heat as reaction to it. The practice of gratitude recalls that regardless of temperature, there are good things in life.
- Fight creatively
I sincerely love brainstorming with my wife when we decide how else to optimize life to fight the heat. This can be an addictive puzzle, not an unbearable burden.
The health benefits of sweating are the icing on the cake. Instead of viewing sweat as a gross side effect of overheating, think about it as an important bodily function. Sweat helps us remove heavy metals from the body, promotes healthy skin, reduces stress hormones and much more.
Read also on ForumDaily:
The heat on the planet will become increasingly deadly: which regions are threatened
Turn off the light: California residents are warned of a dangerous heat wave
How to survive in New York single immigrant
How to save on electricity this summer
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