How to cool your home without relying on air conditioning

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2021/07/23/passive-cooling-heat-wave/

Source: By Sarah Kaplan, The Washington Post. 

Excerpt: On a warming planet, passive cooling can help protect people without access to air conditioning and lighten the load on the electrical grid from those who do. It can also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by burning fossil fuels for power — a necessary step for tackling climate change and the only hope we have for avoiding an even hotter future. ...Having vegetation around your building can prevent the walls from heating up as well. ...“Cool roofs” also make a big difference, Rempel said. Topping a building with light-colored, highly reflective materials prevents it from soaking up the sun’s heat. Even better: Build a rooftop garden. ...As night falls and the outdoor air temperature drops, it’s time to open up your windows. Create cross ventilation by opening windows and doors on opposite sides of rooms. ...if indoor air temperatures are below about 95 degrees, it is safe to turn on ceiling or window fans. If you are using a window fan, make sure to place it where it will draw in the coolest air — a unit in the window overlooking a leafy backyard is preferable to one that pulls in hot air and car exhaust from a busy roadway.... 

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