Here’s a cycle we’re dying to break: The bigger our carbon footprint, the hotter the climate. The hotter the climate, the more we need air conditioning. And the more we need air conditioning, the bigger our carbon footprint.



(Also, the bigger our bill: AC costs American households over $29 billion a year, and with rising electricity prices, that number will keep going up.)

One small step forward? Sharing air conditioned public spaces this summer, which reduces our individual AC use but keeps us both cool and connected. Is this harder with COVID? Sure, but it’s also very doable, especially in spaces where mask use is high and personal space is possible.

If you’re working from home this summer, try grabbing a KN95 and spending some of your office hours at a public or university library, a cafe patio, a park with lots of shade, or even a museum atrium on days when their admission is free or reduced. You’ll be getting out of the house, energizing your brain with new spaces and casual human connections, and keeping cool while being mindful of your own energy use (and electricity budget).

Perfect fix? Nope. Small step towards living and feeling better about ourselves and the world? Absolutely. And that’s the whole point.