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What are some environmentally friendly ways to keep cool in summer?

18 Comments

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A fan

5 ( +5 / -0 )

NOT wearing slacks or collared shirts in the office

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Wet flannel on the back of your neck and snacking on icy poles. Hanging out at the mall or library where there's A/C is also an option if you want to keep your own electricity bills down.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Cold baths and cold showers work great.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Surfing.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Avoiding midday sun, especially between 10AM and 2PM, slowing down when walking, using a sun umbrella, sunscreen, drinking plenty of fluids, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and keeping your hair cut short!

PS. Ideas above also excellent!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Avoid cotton clothing and using non cotton lightweight clothing that's not tight fitting with UV protection, nice sandals comfortable for walking also a bonus!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I wear traditional Japanese clothes like a Samue. Very comfortable and cool. I have several of them. A Japanese hand fan. I always wear a straw hat. Cold showers. An ice pillow when sleeping.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I planted two trees 5 years ago, it covers up my big window facing east & west, house is much cooler now.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Swimming in a river in the mountains...which I do on most weekends during this time of year.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Do chores and activities that generate heat during the colder times of the day such as cooking

Dress as lightly as you can get away with

Sleep on the floor with as little padding as possible

If your space gets breeze, open up those windows

In relation to the last point, hang your used damp towel near a window that gets wind. The evaporating water cools the air

When doing laundry, spin dry your clothes less and just let it air dry. The slightly more damp clothing cools the air.

Eat light for dinner. Food creates heat during the digestion process.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Don't take holidays during the summer. The workplace has a number of people there, so it is better to air condition that than to have each person cooling themselves down individually at home.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Take holidays during summer to escape brutal heat islands in big cities like Tokyo. mountains areas with lakes and seaside areas good for swimming, highly recommended!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The holidays of company employees are dictated by their employers.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Don't take holidays during the summer.

Good advice!

Take holidays during summer

Also good advice!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Cold baths and cold showers work great.

Of course, they lower the body temperature and do literally cool you down, particularly if there is a dangerously hot heatwave, but I also find that the effect is short-lived - no sooner am I dry and the effect is lost.

A hot bath can actually make you feel cooler because there differential between you and the air around is less, so there is a cooling sensation, albeit not an actual cooling.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A hot bath can actually make you feel cooler because there differential between you and the air around is less, so there is a cooling sensation, albeit not an actual cooling.

I think there is an actual cooling. It occurs when sweating after you get out the bath. If you wipe the sweat with a cloth, further sweat will evaporate directly from your skin which will cool you. I know I used to sleep much better after a hot bath in summer.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

he holidays of company employees are dictated by their employers.

Nope, not here. I have an allowance of 25 days per year on top of national holidays to use as I please. If unused, they roll over for use into subsequent years.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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