Beat the summer: Eco-friendly ways to cool your home in this extreme heat
While most people have turned to their power-guzzling air-conditioners, coolers, and fans, these only further contribute to global warming in the long term. Here are a few eco-friendly ways to beat the heat this summer.
India is reeling under one of the hottest summers we have seen in our lifetimes. The Meteorological Department had earlier said that March was the hottest it had been in 122 years, and Delhi and Rajasthan are experiencing temperatures over 44 degrees Celsius.
While most people have turned to their power-guzzling air-conditioners, coolers, and fans, these only further contribute to global warming in the long term.
However, you can follow some simple eco-friendly ways to bring the heat down in your homes. Here’s how:
Essential oil and cold water diffuser
Beat the oppressive humidity by filling a small aromatherapy diffuser with cold water. The mist from the cold water can help dispel the heat.
Adding a few drops of mint, eucalyptus, or citrus oil activates certain receptors in our systems, which helps re-regulate our inner temperature.
As a bonus, the room will smell calming and pleasant and fight the frazzled nerves brought on by the heat.
Plant vines to protect your home
A tiered garden on one of the walls of your home can bring down the temperature of your house significantly.
If you have your own home, you can go all out and have trellises or get the vines to climb up the entire side of your house.
For those who live in apartments, non-invasive vines, including bougainvillaea, star jasmine, flame vine, and Bengal clock vine, in leak-proof layered planters can work well too.
Unplug devices
This one’s easy. When you are done using a device, simply switch off and unplug.
Electronic devices still plugged in continue to generate heat although they are not in use. Just imagine the heat generated from all the unplugged devices across the globe and how much we could save with this simple step.
Also, you can consider shifting to a power strip for all your devices—switching off all your unused devices with the flick of a switch.
Use renewable energy
There are times when you need to use that cooler or air conditioner, and moving to a renewable energy source is the smart thing to do. The majority of grid electricity comes from polluting, non-renewable sources such as gas and coal.
Consider installing solar panels and creating your grid if you have your own home. If you live in a society complex, you can get the authorities in your society to shift to solar energy for you and your neighbours.
The way your fan spins makes a difference
Did you know? Simply changing the way your ceiling fan spins makes a big difference?
When it spins counter-clockwise, it creates a downdraft that cools the room. Similarly, when the fan spins in a clockwise direction, it creates an updraft, which pulls in cool air and sends down warm air.
Making such small changes can make a huge difference in the room’s temperature.
Edited by Suman Singh