Carbon Slim – Keeping it cool

I don’t know where you are, but it’s hot where I am. Really hot. So hot, this environmentalist can’t say enough about central air conditioning. I love it! I shudder when I think of the time I worked in a funky arts building that scored high marks on funkiness, but an ‘F’ on comfort during blistering humid days. By the afternooon, I was done. I couldn’t even function.

As thrilled I am with air conditioning, I’m not going crazy. The thermostat is set at 26 degrees Celsius until the temperature dips down, which it’s forecast to do in a few days. At that point, we’ll turn off the air conditioning, open the windows and let the ceiling fans do the work.

If it’s hot where you are, please set the air conditioning at about 25 degrees. Keep in mind that in places like Toronto, the vast majority are using their air conditioning. In order to keep up with demand, the utility will be tapping into its backup, which in Toronto means coal fire plants. Those smoggy humid days are only going to get smoggier.

If you live in Ontario, be sure to sign up for peaksaver. When you do, a signal will be sent during peak load times to reduce the electricity demand of your central air conditioning system. To learn more and sign up, visit www.peaksaver.com. It’s super easy and your utility will likely give you an added incentive.

For more tips on keeping cool while helping the planet stay cool, click here.