FollowHave you had the courage to look at your electricity bill yet this summer? Chances are it ain’t pretty since we often end up using a ton of electricity trying to keep cool. But don’t sweat it – nowadays there are a host of smart electronics specially designed to keep temperatures down without driving your energy usage up. Read on to see our picks for 5 green gadgets to beat the summer heat.
Think you could totally forgo energy-sucking air conditioning if you had the right fan? Well that’s what designer James Dyson (yes, of vacuum cleaner fame) is offering with his efficient and sculptural bladeless fans. The fans use a cyclone accelerator to amplify air 15-18 times before blowing it out in a refreshing breeze.
Wouldn’t it make a lot of sense if we could use solar power to cool our homes during the summer months, when sunshine is bountiful? That’s exactly the idea behind the Ventamatic solar fan, which harnesses energy from a roof-mounted multi-crystal photovoltaic panel. Electricity generated by the panel flows to a DC motor, which then runs a gable-mounted ventilating fan to keep your home’s attic or upper floors nice and cool.
3. WHYNTER ENERGY EFFICIENT AC
We all know that fans are more energy-efficient than air conditioning systems, but sometimes it is just too hot not to turn on the AC – especially when young children and the elderly are concerned. The good news is that there are some eco-friendly models out there to choose from, and our pick is the Whynter energy-efficient portable air conditioner. With zero CFCs, no lead and low overall energy usage, the Whynter offers the comfort of air conditioning while still keeping the environment in mind.
“Blight” is a prototype for a set of solar-powered window blinds that shade your home from unwanted sun while generating electricity. Although the design has yet to come to market it’s such an intriguing idea that we had to showcase it. If you’re looking for an option that you can actually purchase right now, check out these eco window shades – many people don’t realize that blocking out the sun is one of the easiest and least energy-intensive ways to keep your home’s temperature down.
Starting at $167 from the Shade Store
So far we’ve covered a series of store-bought green gadgets that will keep you cool – if a DIY design is more up your alley, check out this tutorial from Instructables that shows you how to make your own solar-powered fan from an old computer fan! This low-energy AC alternative is made from recycled materials, making it a great way to keep cool while going green.
Source: mylifescoop
