Keeping Your Cool

Keeping your cool during the hot months can use a lot of costly energy. Here are some tips for maintaining a comfortable home — and a lower energy bill:

Whole-house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air through the house and exhausting warm air through the attic. They work best at night, when the outside air is cooler than the air inside.

Consider getting a programmable thermostat that will let you set the air conditioner to start half an hour before you get home. This allows you to keep the AC turned off when you don’t need it.

Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances.

Plant leafy trees or shrubs that shade air conditioning units but do not block the flow of air. An AC unit operating in the shade can use as much as 10% less electricity than the same unit operating in the sun.

Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your AC. A dirty air filter can lead not only to less efficiency, but can shorten the life of a unit.

Insulate your attic. A poorly insulated attic or windows that leak can lead to overworking your fans and AC.

Stay on the right path. Get quality, established trail maps from an information center or ranger station before you start trekking.

Try the unknown -- or at least the lesser known. Visiting a less well-known destination will minimize the crowds and your impact on the environment. Check out www.nps.gov for the full list of National Parks.

Leave no trace. Be sure to carry out what you carry in. Even orange peels and apple cores are bad for the environment (and give local critters bad habits) when every tourist leaves one behind.

Pick hotels, transportation, and travel agents that are members of the international Ecotourism Society (TIES) or have made green commitments like using natural building products and/or renewable energy.

Remember to do your part by turning off lights, asking if your hotel recycles, and being conscious of water use.

Use public transportation where available.

Want to visit a tropical jungle or remote village? Get more ideas on ecotourism on the Conservation International (www.ecotour.org) and Rainforest Alliance (www.rainforest-alliance.org) websites!

For more tips, check out www.responsibletravel.com.

Paint Your Home . . . GREEN

Maybe you don't want a forest green home, but you can still keep the environment in mind while painting. Here are some things to consider:

• Never pour thinners, solvents or paint down the drain. Put them in tight-fitting jars or cans and have them picked up or delivered to a hazardous waste disposal site. For information about collections in your area, contact your local municipal or state government.

• Paint thinner often can be reused. Over time, paint sludge settles on the bottom of the container. Pour the clean solvent off the top and use. When the thinner is gone, stuff an absorbent material into the can to dry the sludge before throwing the can into the trash. Consider giving unused paint thinner or stripper to local furniture refinishing shops or paint contractors.

• If there is a small amount of latex paint left in a can, leave the can open in a well-ventilated place. When it is completely dry, the can may be placed in the trash.

• Consider donating leftovers to a local theater group, parks department, school, or organization, or take it to a community exchange. Many towns have “drop and swaps” once or twice a year.

• If you have more than half a gallon left over, try to use it for another project. Try mixing several colors of similar paints together. Make sure cans are properly labeled.

Facing a drought this summer? Live in an arid region? You can still cultivate that green thumb! Consider xeriscaping, which involves gardening in a way that uses less water than traditional landscaping. By choosing plants that are drought-tolerant or native to the area you can save water and have a yard that is easy to maintain.

• Mix compost or peat moss into the soil before planting to help the soil retain water. If your yard is sloped, reduce water runoff with terraces and retaining walls.

• Limit the amount of area devoted to grass. Plant ground covers, native shrubs, and add rock gardens.

• Choose from among the many types of low water-using trees, shrubs, flowers, and ground covers. Many need watering only in the first year or two after planting.

• Install drip or trickle irrigation systems in areas that need watering. These systems use water efficiently and are available at garden centers.

• Use mulches like pine needles, shredded bark or leaves in a layer three inches deep to keep soil moist, smother weeds, and prevent erosion.