Publishers Perspective: Staying Cool
By Josh Warburton
If you’ve been awake at all over the past few weeks, you know one thing, it’s hot! So yup, I’m going to talk about the weather. Or, more specifically, ways of dealing with the heat of summer.
This year as the heat hit us all in the Western U.S. with an early wave; I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out how to stay cool and comfortable. So, I want to share a handful of things I’ve been doing myself and then a shortlist of other ideas to beat the heat.
For starters, I’ve been waking up early! It’s not that I’m generally a late sleeper anyway, but as the sun has been rising so early, I’ve been taking advantage of a little extra time each morning to workout, play some tennis, get some yard work in, or otherwise take care of things that wouldn’t be as fun in the heat. Of course, this means crashing out earlier for me, so I don’t get much of the cooler evenings… but who are we kidding? It’s typically not getting cool until after 10 PM anyway. I’m in bed by about then!
Fans have become my new best friend. I bought a fancy Dyson for the bedroom with remote control and whisper-quiet operation for when we’re sleeping. I also picked up an extra cheap fan for my workout area in the garage. And I’ve got a tiny one on my desk. Kind of an obvious one, but it’s sure been helping.
I’ve also been using ice packs on my neck when I do have to go out in the heat. I just wrap them in a handkerchief and tie them around my neck. Another version of this I use is just to soak and wring out my shirt. Oooooh…. evaporative cooling. Nice!
Baking or even using the stove right now adds additional heat to the house, so we’ve been doing a lot of salads and items that cook quickly. I also got a solar cooker, and while I haven’t used it as much as I’d like, it’s a great way to cook outside. BBQs and camp stoves in the backyard are another excellent way to go.
We also added curtains to a couple of windows that didn’t have them. So that’s definitely cut the heat down in those rooms.
Here are just a few other tips to help you keep cool this summer:
- Use light bedding. Again, it seems obvious, but many folks don’t change out their bedding from winter to summer.
- Wet your curtains. This works best on a breezy day with the windows open.
- Hang out downstairs. If you have one, the downstairs is typically the coolest place in the house.
- Eat spicy foods. Strange, but eating spicy foods can make you sweat, the sweat evaporates, and you’re cooler!
- Plant trees or add awnings. Both help by adding shade. If you can’t wait for the trees to grow, build awnings over your doors and windows.
- Improve your home’s insulation. This will help keep your house cool in the summer and also warmer during the winter and save you money in the long run.
So, there it is! Stay cool, and happy reading!
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