Air Conditioning

It finally got warm enough in north west Pennsylvania. My husband and I put in the first of our two room air conditioners last night. (I also ended up destroying the end of my thumb in the process... but that's another story.) The Rectory we live in does not have central air conditioning and we have found for the most part we don't really need it. The two rooms we desire cooler temperatures in during the summer are the bedroom (to sleep!) and the living room (we have fake velvet couches (which cause static all year long)). 

In looking to buy these two room air conditioners, I've learned that air conditioning uses somewhere between 5-10% of all electricity. They also release millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the air. There are some air conditioner makers which claim to be more environmentally friendly, but there are also a number of ways you can cool off your house without using air conditioning. Using ceiling fans properly are great ways of circulating air flow in the house. Using blinds or full curtains in rooms where the sun is shining can lessen the amount of sun heat getting into the house. Keeping your current air conditioner clean and the system insulated will help keep the air cool and circulating well. Planting trees which are close enough to offer shade to the house can help on multiple levels. Or you can do as we have done and instead of air conditioning the whole house, pick and choose particular rooms to air condition. If you already have central air conditioning, consider leaving the setting up a degree or two this year as compared to last year. This will lower your electricity usage and the amount of carbon dioxide your unit is releasing into the air. 

No matter what your summer style, staying cool can be done with consideration for the our planet.