Wet T-shirt Contest! Stay Cool Without Air Conditioning
People said I was crazy moving to Austin, Texas from San Diego. They said I’d get sick of the heat before April and want to move back to the temperate climes of Southern California. True, they were temperate climes. In the preceding 10 years before my move, I hadn’t used the heat or the air conditioning (AT ALL). The principle is to live naturally and be more in tune with the seasons but it’s also pretty manly to be able to say that and it’s financial sound too. As a result of my ability to live in temperatures from the high 30s to the low 90s without climate control, I probably saved a couple thousand in heating and cooling costs.
Well, here in Texas, I’ve already experienced 19 degrees one day and 90s highs are typical in this late spring. What’s a modern hunter/gatherer to do to stay comfortable in such climates? The answer for the cold temperatures is: bundle up. No rocket science there. But staying cool in 100-degree heat is another story. If you can’t be poolside with an ice-cold fruit smoothie at your side constantly, there are other options and they all involve getting wet.
You can soak a bandanna and wrap it around your neck or head. You can put your feet in a pot of cool water (The body radiates heat from the hands, feet, face and ears, so cooling any of these will efficiently cool the body). Or you can simple run your hands and wrists under a faucet for 10 seconds each (coolness lasts about an hour).
My favorite technique to cool yourself naturally in the summer heat is to soak a T-shirt in water, wring it, then wear as usual. This lasts for well over an hour and feels great. If you have circulating air, you may actually get cold using this technique—even in 100-degree heat! You will save energy and money and feel great (just make sure to post your photos here).
Of course, if your goal is to lose weight, it might be best to sweat it out. Attempting to keep your body cool will expend calories at a higher rate than if you were comfortable at room temperature. It’s not fun, but it may just take the weight off. Just remember to stay hydrated.
For more great tips on living naturally, check out:
