School is out! Grab your popsicles, pool noodles, and lemonade, it’s summertime in Texas. With the return of summer heat and higher ozone levels, it’s time to think about ways to enjoy your summer and beat the heat while keeping our air clean. Check out these tips for some sustainable summer fun that’ll help you stay happy, cool, and improve our environment.
Close Your Blinds and Crank Up Your Fans
The Texas heat can get downright unbearable during the summer, so it’s important to know how to keep your home cool while conserving energy ahead of time. Make sure you avoid leaving windows and blinds open on hot days to avoid unnecessarily heating your home and only keep fans on when you’re in the room. Remember, fans cool you, not the room.
It’s also important to find a setting on your thermostat that you find comfortable, but that is closer to the outdoor temperature than not. This will help reduce your cooling needs and costs over time.
Finally, make sure not to crank the air conditioning when you arrive home from spending time outdoors, slowly lower the temperature over time and use fans to keep cool while waiting. Setting your thermostat to a much lower setting will not cool your home any more efficiently. For more tips on how to conserve energy at home, check here.
Conserve Water
Conserving water helps keep our air quality in check more than you might think, and it also helps conserve water for the region. Check your local watering ordinances and try not to take long, hot showers. Using water efficient appliances is also another great way to help reduce waste. Not sure how to find your watering rules? Check out this tool to find yours today.
Planning on filling up the pool for the kids? Take a trip to one of DFW’s many water features to cool off instead; you’ll save water and make memories that’ll last forever. Whether it’s Lake Lewisville, White Rock Lake Park, or one of the plethora of summer destinations in DFW, you’re sure to find adventure wherever you look.
Visit Local Attractions Using Public Transit or Active Transportation
Planning on making a trip to museums, amusement parks, or another destination? Instead of hopping in the car, check your local public transit to see if there’s another way to get there. Vehicle pollution is one of the primary contributors of pollutants during the summer and taking public transit or active transportation reduces the number of cars on the road, saving gas, and improving our air quality.
Spending time outdoors is a great way to lower your energy use during the summer months and Dallas-Fort Worth has a lot to offer. If you’ve never explored the Metroplex’s numerous hiking trails, now might be the perfect time to look. Spending time outdoors means less strain on your air conditioning, less water use from appliances, and a chance to stretch your legs after a long week of work. If you’d like to know more, check out some of DFW’s hiking and bike trails online. Don’t forget to bring a reusable water bottle so you can stay hydrated when you’re outdoors.
Active modes of transportation like biking or walking are also another great way to stay active and save the environment, so if you’re close enough to your destination that public transit isn’t feasible, head out on your adventure with a helmet or some walking shoes to get started.
Don’t be beat by the heat, make your summer a sustainable success by following these tips and you’ll be well on your way to doing your part in keeping our air clean.