By Ashley McDonald

The summer months are upon us and staying cool is on everyone's mind. Lounging in the luxury of air conditioning and sipping on a bottle of water may lie at the top of the list for ways to beat the summer heat. You can do that while conserving energy with these green alternatives for summer.

1. Fill 'Er Up. When you are trying to quench an undying thirst caused by the summer heat, there is nothing more refreshing than grabbing a cold drink of water to soothe a parched palette. But instead of grabbing a $2 bottle of water from the store, opt for filling a reusable water bottle at your tap or water fountain. Afraid of tap water a.k.a. "Cumberland River Punch"? Opt for a filtration pitcher to refill your water bottle. You can get one at a very reasonable price starting at around $13 for your standard model on up to $70 for a really fancy one. If you are unwilling to invest in the planet by ceasing your consumption of bottled water, then at least recycle the bottles that you use. Doing this will dramatically reduce the amount of plastic that goes into the landfills to sit for the next 400+ years.
2. Close the door! I know that you remember your grandmother telling you too shut the door because you were running up the light bill by letting the air out. You may have thought that she was just talking, but it's true. When you keep the doors closed, it keeps the air inside the house, making the house cooler overall. When you open that door to let the air out, the air conditioning unit has to work harder to keep the same area cool. Closing off unoccupied areas in the home makes the space that needs to be cooled smaller, which in turn takes less electricity. Not only will you see a reduction on your electric bill, you will also help to preserve energy.
3. Let the light shine in! During the summer, there are considerably more daylight hours than there are during the cold winter months. Instead of turning on every light switch in the house, utilize the free resource that nature gives us for approximately 14 hours each day. A little bit of natural light makes everything seem brighter and more alive. So stop being a hermit, open those blinds, and pull back those curtains.
4. Plug that leak. Having leaks around your doors or windows may seem common, but it can effect how hard your air conditioning is working. If air is seeping out around your doors and windows, your cooling unit has to work harder to maintain it's temperature. Check it out for yourself with this little test. Light and incense and hold it around the edges of your doors and windows. If the smoke moves horizontally, then you have an air leak that needs to be fixed. Ways of patching up air leaks include caulking, sealing, or weather stripping.

Labels: GO Green