Centers And Squares

Living Without Air Conditioning

Living Without Air Conditioning

It’s days like this that test my convictions about living without air conditioning in New England.

I really don’t believe in it and am horrified at how it’s increasingly considered an expected amenity in new or renovated condos and houses in Massachusetts.

It didn’t use to be this way and if the trend continues we’ll all be in trouble. Pick up a copy of Losing Our Cool: Uncomfortable Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World (and Finding New Ways to Get Through the Summer) to read about the impact on our planet of the increasing popularity of air conditioning.

So how to survive the dog days of summer?

Here are my methods for living without air conditioning:

• Keep the shades down
• Open the windows at night
• Use fans in several windows to blow in cooler air overnight
• Close windows during the day
• Drink plenty of icy cold water
• Take it easy – save the chores for the cool days that will come
• Ice cream – you earned it
• Find a pool or a pond – buy a wading pool if you have to
• Spend as much time as possible in an air conditioned mall, movie theater or office – communal A/C makes sense
• In fact – consider getting a job at the Foodmaster on Route 16 – it feels like a meatlocker – you’ll look forward to going to work

Remember – this too shall pass. It was chilly just two days ago and it will cool down soon.  But eventually it won’t if everyone keeps firing up the air conditioners.

Categories: Living Here
Tags: summer in the city
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