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How To: Live Without Air Conditioning
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 7, 2010
Modified Jul 7, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 7, 2010
Modified Jul 7, 2010
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Even if you have a perfectly functional air conditioner, you probably shouldn't be over-using it right now on account of the whole imminent city-wide blackout you'd be helping to cause, right? So how does one live without these little cooling dream machines? Here are some helpful tips we use, and a few from some friends we know who have chosen to exist sans A.C. for years—they are destined to be a New York Times trend piece! Okay, here we go:
- Every once in a while, go stick your head in the freezer (seriously, this works!)
- Apply cold water on feet/wrists (aka your pulse points).
- For the hardcore: put an icepack by your bed to apply to pulse points.
- Drinking a lot of cold beer (or, you know, cold anything)
- Get a few fans, of the electric and paper folding variety (that way you'll be all set when your air conditioner-abusing friends take down the grid).
- Put a sheet in the freezer before bed.
- Or take a cold shower before going to bed. Bonus: it makes your hair really shiny.
- If you get really desperate, draw a cold bath.
- Keep in mind, any furniture that is upholstered with synthetic materials is a lot more comfortable if you put a sheet over it.
- Try to create a cross breeze, and try not to dwell on how hot you are!
- Turn off any unnecessary lights (especially overhead lights).
- Wear natural fabrics.
- Sweating cools your body. Spicy foods help for some reason as well.
- Bring a Thermarest and camp out in your air conditioned office.
- Movie-hop as late as possible at your local multiplex.
- Quick, start dating someone with A.C.!
And remember, you'll be saving energy, saving money, and probably losing weight since being so hot diminshes one's appetite. And as our aforementioned friends tell us, "it's nice to live a little more in tune with the natural world."
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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