Made in the Shade

Keeping cool without causing global warming

Lois Anderson's granddaughter, Phoebe Ross, enjoys this splendid maple tree's shade. 

Over the years Lois Anderson's  tree has helped keep the house cool in summer and attracted neighborhood children for play. When the leaves fall in winter, the sun heats the house.

    You can  find big energy savings by decreasing your use of air conditioning.  A shade tree on the south side  and a well insulated attic or upper ceiling will help keep a home cool.  A fan where you need it  uses much less electricity than air conditioning.
    Lois Anderson on Tenikat Street planted two maple trees when their house was built.
    “We’ve always had central air and I well remember how much the air conditioner ran all those years when the sun was bearing down on the house. Now the house stays cool with the help of my wonderful trees and some small fans. The air conditioner rarely comes on before late afternoon. My total electric bill was $41 last month.”
    Open  your windows at night when it is cool.  Close  your windows during the day if it is hotter outside than inside.  When the sun shines directly in a window, close the curtain.  Generation of electricity is the number one cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. By reducing  your use of electricity, you are also reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by the power plant.