Lower Your Energy Costs: Alternatives to Air Conditioning

One of the things I mentioned a few weeks ago was that summer is a time of increased expenses for many of us. One of the expenses we have is air conditioning. It gets hot, so you turn it on. However, in this time economic uncertainty, conserving energy is one of the ways you can save money. And one way to conserve energy and lower your energy costs is to find alternatives to air conditioning.

Happily, someone else has already done it for me. Flexo, over at Consumerism Commentary, has these suggestions for ideas that can lower your energy costs while keeping you (relatively) cool:

1. Fans.
2. Damp sheets hung in front of open windows.
3. Wear lighter colors and lighter fabrics.
4. Shades and blinds in your home.
5. Cooling bandanas.
6. Try not to use many appliances (dryer, oven, vacuum, etc.).
7. Mist yourself with water.
8. Go somewhere else.  Head to the mall or other large business with air conditioning. But try to avoid doing actual shopping (and consider the cost of gas).

Some of these ideas are more practical than others. One thing we do at my house is keep the thermostat high (around 86 degrees), and then head to the lowest level of the house (a full daylight basement), where is it naturally cooler. Our air conditioner doesn’t kick on unless it gets seriously hot, and we use fans to keep the air moving upstairs so that it doesn’t get too hot up there.

What do you do to lower your energy costs during the summer?

image source: Achim Hering