Are there aspects of your daily life that you know contribute to your carbon footprint but you are unwilling to compromise to change them? In other words, what about your life is “off the table” when it comes to carbon emissions? It's OK to admit it- we all have these cherished behaviors!
Off the Table? >
AC is a Necessity to ME!
One aspect of my daily life that is ‘off the table’ is air conditioning. Living in a southern state means a longer summer season. Temperatures can climb towards 100 degrees on any given day between June and October. The heat index can rise above 110 degrees making outdoor activities a health hazard, especially for the very young and very old. My brother once suffered from heat exhaustion during a summer soccer camp. The danger is scary and real for people and their pets. After hurricane Ike, my family’s home was without power for fourteen days. Winds exceeded 140 mph and caused severe damage to power lines. It was a difficult time. Fortunately, the hurricane hit towards the end of the season in September. Being without air conditioning made it harder to function. My body was more tired, yet it was harder to fall asleep. The issue is that air conditioners run on electricity that is generated from coal-fired power plants. In warmer climates, the air conditioners run all the time to maintain climate control inside homes. This adds a huge amount of carbon to the atmosphere. Knowing this does not change the fact that I never want to be without air conditioning again. Does anyone else have similar feelings? Are more energy efficient options available?
Source: http://www.livescience.com/919-increase … e-gas.html
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL092008_Ike.pdf
I agree that air conditioning is a key to human society now, but I believe there could be other ways to cool down. In the summer, you should wear light clothing layers. You can also wear white clothing. There's also the option of swimming. It's a great way to cool off. Also make sure to drink lots of water to keep you body hydrated and cool. If you're finding trouble sleeping without ac. Put an ice pack on top of your pillow bfore or during your sleep. It helped me feel cool without AC.
(This is just a fast suggestion from classmate to classmate, not a full-length and detailed post)
My family, personally, tries to at least lower our carbon footprint by not making our air conditioning work so much, and instead only cooling our house to a comfortable-but-not-ridiculous temperature. We also warm our house less in the winter. If the outdoor temperature is closer to the indoor temperature, it's much easier on the system, and can be both cheaper and better for the environment.