Tuesday, August 24, 2010 Nature
"The most important adjustment to be made is not in the thermostat but in our own view of what constitutes comfort."
— Steven Cox

8 Ways to Keep Cool in Summer

8 Ways to Keep Cool in Summer
The torrid summer of 2010 will cap off the hottest decade ever recorded on our planet. In efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, people across the globe are stepping up and cooling down, AC-free. "The key is to focus on people-cooling, not building-cooling," states author Steven Cox. "Your body is constantly converting chemical energy from food into heat... But filling a home with chilled, still, dry air around the clock is only one of the many ways by which we can help our bodies maintain their thermal balance." With this in mind, he offers eight tips to stay cool while keeping the planet healthy. They include: keeping air circulating, getting wet, staying near plants, bringing in night air, and reserving sedentary activities for the hottest part of the day.

Be the Change

Feeling the heat? Try out some of Cox's tips.

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