On December 12th 2016, Chennai was hit by Cyclone Vardah. Trees were uprooted, and most of the city’s green cover was destroyed. It is safe to say that the city will experience one of the worst summers in known history. There is a call to arms to plant more greenery in place of what we lost to help the ecosystem of Chennai bounce back in time. But for now, we have all got to do what we can to get through the summer. Here are a few tips on how to beat the heat and save power and water, this summer.
Keep cool
These ten tips will help you keep cool even if it feels like the sun is out to get you.
1. Keep hydrated – Constant sweating in the heat can dehydrate you. Make sure that you drink plenty of water.
2. Wear cotton clothes – Cotton absorbs sweat and is comfortable in the summer heat.
3. Eat plenty of water based fruits like watermelon, musk melon etc.
4. Eat more cooling vegetables like cucumber, pumpkin etc.
5. Drink plenty of liquids – fruit and vegetable juices, and buttermilk and tender coconut water.
6. Use a spritzer – A spritzer bottle with cold water to spray your face with is a great way to feel refreshed.
7. Cook early in the morning before it gets too warm or late in the evenings after the sun goes down.
8. Eat more fresh salads and simpler foods that need minimum cooking.
9. Avoid spicy food and baked and roasted food (Using an oven heats up the house)
10. Rubbing ice cubes on the wrist and neck (cooling points in your body) will cool you down.
Save power
Though it will be extremely warm, it is our duty to avoid using too much power for coolers and air conditioners. Instead of running the units the entire day, once you cool down the room with air conditioner, try these tips:
1. Put wet curtains on the window.
2. Keep bowls of water in the room. This keeps the room cool.
3. Put thattis outside your windows and wet them.
4. Splash a little water on the terrace over the room.
Save water
Yes, we do use more water in the summer, but we can help conserve water in small ways.
1. Make sure that you don’t have leaky taps or faucets.
2. Use a mug to dispense water when you brush your teeth or wash your face rather than keep the tap running.
3. Don’t shower. Fill water in a bucket and bathe using a mug.
4. Don’t use sprinklers in the garden. Water the garden using a pipe.
5. Make sure that your building has rain water harvesting.
6. Wait for clothes to pile up and do one large load rather than many small loads of laundry.
7. Make sure to keep an eye on the water pump when pumping to the overhead tank and ensure that it doesn’t overflow.
8. Have a water butt on the overhead tank drainpipe to catch any overflow which can be used for the garden.
Hopefully, with a little care, we can get through the summer in an environmentally friendly way!
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| Image Courtesy - hindustantimes.com |
These ten tips will help you keep cool even if it feels like the sun is out to get you.
1. Keep hydrated – Constant sweating in the heat can dehydrate you. Make sure that you drink plenty of water.
2. Wear cotton clothes – Cotton absorbs sweat and is comfortable in the summer heat.
3. Eat plenty of water based fruits like watermelon, musk melon etc.
4. Eat more cooling vegetables like cucumber, pumpkin etc.
5. Drink plenty of liquids – fruit and vegetable juices, and buttermilk and tender coconut water.
6. Use a spritzer – A spritzer bottle with cold water to spray your face with is a great way to feel refreshed.
7. Cook early in the morning before it gets too warm or late in the evenings after the sun goes down.
8. Eat more fresh salads and simpler foods that need minimum cooking.
9. Avoid spicy food and baked and roasted food (Using an oven heats up the house)
10. Rubbing ice cubes on the wrist and neck (cooling points in your body) will cool you down.
Save power
Though it will be extremely warm, it is our duty to avoid using too much power for coolers and air conditioners. Instead of running the units the entire day, once you cool down the room with air conditioner, try these tips:
1. Put wet curtains on the window.
2. Keep bowls of water in the room. This keeps the room cool.
3. Put thattis outside your windows and wet them.
4. Splash a little water on the terrace over the room.
Save water
Yes, we do use more water in the summer, but we can help conserve water in small ways.
1. Make sure that you don’t have leaky taps or faucets.
2. Use a mug to dispense water when you brush your teeth or wash your face rather than keep the tap running.
3. Don’t shower. Fill water in a bucket and bathe using a mug.
4. Don’t use sprinklers in the garden. Water the garden using a pipe.
5. Make sure that your building has rain water harvesting.
6. Wait for clothes to pile up and do one large load rather than many small loads of laundry.
7. Make sure to keep an eye on the water pump when pumping to the overhead tank and ensure that it doesn’t overflow.
8. Have a water butt on the overhead tank drainpipe to catch any overflow which can be used for the garden.
Hopefully, with a little care, we can get through the summer in an environmentally friendly way!
