Simple and sustainable ways to survive summer’s hot weather, save money and still be eco-friendly!

In light of the recent intense heatwave around the globe in places such as New York and California, the European continent, and Japan, it can seem quite a daunting and almost impossible task to keep refreshed during the summer without resorting to air conditioning. Luckily, it is actually more feasible than most people might think.

Opt for Wood and Open Spaces

Being nearby wood structures instead of metal ones can certainly help keeping cool. Metal, as a heat conductor, often makes the air around it become dense and stagnant, thus making those nearby feel an even more intense heat wave. Therefore, opting for open spaces around wood where the breeze can circulate freely makes a significant difference on how pleasant one’s summer can be.

Open wood gates with a view

Photo: (Fanny TenDyke) via Pixabay

Keep the Sun Out

Even though it could seem counter intuitive to shut the blinds during the summer, those who have houses with sun-facing windows should try to do so during the mornings and afternoons, opening the blinds close to the evenings when it is usually cooler. The blinds act like a barrier for sun rays, not allowing the room to absorb more heat than it needs.

Room in white and blue with closed blinds

Photo: (Free-Photos) via Pixabay

Ice the Right Spots

According to an article on Scientific American, wetting someone’s wrist and other pulse points throughout the body (such as the neck, behind the knees and below the armpits) and holding ice cubes against them will not only keep those spots cool, but the entire body as well. Still according to the article, the relief is felt almost instantly and can lower the body temperature to as much as three degrees Fahrenheit for up to an hour.

Melting ice cubes

Photo: (Bruno Glätsch) via Pixabay

Cultivate Green Friends

Buying plants and having them inside is a cute, stylish way of dealing with the summer heat while also purifying the air around (given the type of plant). Some of the recommended types include bamboo palms, Boston ferns, Ficus, spider plants, and Dracaenas.

Kitchen herbs/plants with oranges and metal bowls around them

Photo: (Anja Osenberg) via Pixabay

Try Using Refreshing Natural Oils

Rubbing or spraying peppermint lotion or mist is another very effective method to beat the summer heatwave. The menthol, substance found in peppermint and other natural oils, will use of its properties to make the nervous system think one’s body is cooler than it actually is.

Peppermint oil with peppermint leaves around it

Photo: (Silvia Rita) via Pixabay

Give Your Body a Hydration Boost 

During the summer, eating water dense food such as watermelon, cucumber, pineapple, cantaloupe, and berries is a delicious way of keeping hydrated from the inside out. In addition to that, substituting coffee by herbal tea could tremendously help as well. Coffee is a natural diuretic due to caffeine, the element that pumps the heart rate in our bodies and leads to higher temperatures (uh oh!) and more frequent trips to the bathroom. Therefore, opting for iced herbal tea is a game-changer. However, please notice that black and green tea have the same diuretic effect as coffee, so try hibiscus, chamomile, or rose tea instead.

Collection of fruits including lemons, oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, grapes, and apples.

Photo: (Jacques David) via Pixabay

Given so many options, staying cool and refreshed during the summer heatwave is within reach in the most natural ways possible.

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