If You Drive a Car...

     Air conditioners make cars bearable in the heat of summer, but they are HUGE energy users, increasing a vehicle's fuel consumption by 20%. That means a vehicle that normally goes 800 kilometres on a tank of fuel will only go about 675 kilometres with the air conditioner on - and many of us have it on by default all summer.
     The best solution is to just turn your AC off. When driving 60 KMH or less, roll down your window and enjoy a bit of fresh air. (Wise dogs have known the pure joy of fresh air for years.) At speeds above 60 KMH, keep a comfortable airflow moving by using the fan to bring in fresh air and keeping a window or sunroof open just a crack to let it out.
     On really hot days when that's not enough, alternate the AC on and off to get just the amount of cooling you need. Just remember: it costs you every time you turn it on.

Brought to you by Carl Duivenvoorden

Though, not that you need an air conditioner now that the cool weather is back again?

It's Hot in Fredericton!

     Wait! Stop right there before you turn on the A/C. Did you know there are better and cheaper (that’s right, cheaper) ways of keeping cool, rather than jacking up the AC? Growing up, I never had air conditioning. We always found inventive ways to keep cool during those hot summer days. My personal favourite was wearing a wet t-shirt and sit in front of a fan! It’s a great way to show off muscles I suppose...

1.   If you’re fortunate enough to have a basement, hang out down there for the afternoon!
2.   Go to a mall that is already air conditioned. Plus, you don’t have to pay for it!
3.   Go to a beach or pool to cool off!
4.   Sit in front of a fan, wearing a wet t-shirt. Evaporating water cools you off.
5.   Put your feet in a bucket of ice cubes.
6.   Wear an ice pack as a hat.
7.   Go to a park with lots of trees. Did you know, a park full of trees is 3-4 degrees cooler compared to         the rest of the city?
8.   Take a short, cold shower.
9.   Eat a popsicle. Maybe it’s all mental, but you feel cooler when you eat one!
10. Close all the curtains. Leaving them open makes your house act like a green house.
11. Don’t use the oven or stove top during the hottest point of the day. Use the BBQ, cook early in the morning or wait until the evening.

     Cycling when it’s hot outside, it’s hard not to sweat. It’s a known fact that we all sweat to cool ourselves. What do I do to keep cool as possible when cycling and after?

1.  I wear a white cotton shirt and cycling shorts. Don’t wear black, because it absorbs the sun and makes you feel warm.
2.  I wear a well ventilated helmet. Most of your body heat is expelled through your head. Trapping it all in with a solid helmet makes you hot and not to mention you could get heat stroke!
3.  If you usually wear a backpack, strap it onto a rack. Heat is also expelled through your back and the added ventilation keeps you cool.
4.  Not everyone has showers at work, so I suggest you buy a pack of travel baby wipes to wipe yourself down. Nothing is worse than feeling dirty and sticky during work!

Can you think of any other tips to keep cool?