World Blog – Post-tsunami parenting no task for the faint of heart
World Blog – Post-tsunami parenting no task for the faint of heart
I want him to grow strong, become a strong person who can survive no matter what happens, even in this disaster.
Salmon Melts
Ingredients:
1 can (about 15 oz) salmon, drained and flaked
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise (preferably reduced fat)
1 cup strong cheese of your choice, grated
4 English muffins, halved
Salt and black pepper
Instructions:
In a bowl, mix the salmon with the lemon juice, mayonnaise, parsley, dill and season with salt and pepper. Stir in
Keeping Your Pets Cool and Healthy This Summer
As the days begin to heat up, our pets may begin to suffer. Since our furry friends can’t speak, it’s easy for us to forget about or neglect their needs on hot days. Here are some tips for making sure your pets stay cool and healthy this summer.
Water
The importance of easy access to fresh water at all times is crucial, especially during the summer. If your animals are indoor/outdoor, make sure there is water outside as well as inside.
To keep the water cool, you can put ice cubes in it or, to help keep the supply fresh and cool, freeze a plastic container of water (such as a margarine container) and unmold the ice block into your pet’s water bowl. It will slowly melt, providing a supply of fresh, cool water. Animals can lick the ice, too, and cool their tongues (the tongue is the primary way a dog cools itself).
Shade
Shade is vital for keeping pets cool outdoors. If there is no breeze, fans also help keep animals cool while they are in the shade. If you have dogs and cats that are exclusively outdoors, make sure to provide shady areas besides just a doghouse or one tree. Remember, at noon one tree doesn’t provide much shade.
In or Out?
If you have pets that are indoor and outdoor, try to restrict outside time (especially exercise time, like brisk walks) to early morning and evening, when the sun is not strong or is even below the horizon.
Signs of Heatstroke
Heatstroke is a dangerous condition that your pets can develop after long hours (or even minutes) in the heat. In dogs, heatstroke is signified by excessive panting, agitated behavior, rapid heartbeat, fever, and lethargy. Cats are a bit different – panting for more than a moment or two is cause for concern in felines, as are rapid pulse, agitation (like pacing), and fever. Ironically, cats may stop drinking or drink very little when experiencing heatstroke.
If you suspect heatstroke, get your dog out of the sun right away and into air conditioning if possible. Bathe your dog in cool water or cooled peppermint tea and wrap him in cool, wet towels. Cats should also be removed from the sun and heat, and placed in the shade in front of a fan or in an air conditioned room or vehicle. Try to get cold water into your cat by dropping ice water into the edge of the mouth.
Cars
No discussion of summer pet safety is complete without a warning about leaving pets in hot cars. Even if “it’s not that hot” or “it’s just for a minute,” do not ever leave your pet in a car on a sunny day. Even with windows partly down (most pet owners can’t leave the windows all the way down because their pet would escape), the heat in a car can kill your pet in a matter of minutes.
Insect Bites: How to Relieve the Itch
Summer gets people moving from indoors to outdoors. The fresh air is invigorating but the insects are not. Here are some ways to deal with your bug bites so that it won
What to Do If Your Child Is Allergic to Bee Stings
We discover most of our allergies in childhood. Children are exposed to so many new sights, sounds, smells and tastes that allergies can show up at any time. Some allergies can lead to dangerous reactions. Bee stings may fall into this category.
Unfortunately, the only way to know if you are allergic to something is to be exposed to it. When it comes to bees, this means getting stung. Don
Refreshing 4th July Watermelon Lemonade
Ingredients:
6 cups watermelon, peeled, seeds removed and cubed
1 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Cool Summer Treats: Homemade Popsicle Recipes
Few things cool kids and adults off in the summer like popsicles. And it’s no coincidence that berries, fruits, and other produce are abundant this time of year. These healthy, fresh foods make excellent popsicles. There are all kinds of creative popsicles you can make with a simple popsicle mold (or paper cups and popsicle sticks). Here are some recipes and ideas.
Pureed Fruit
You pay a lot of money for fruit-only, natural popsicles in the store. Making your own could hardly be easier! Try some of these combinations.
1. In a blender, combine 2 cups of washed strawberries with tops removed. Add just enough fruit juice (such as cranberry or apple) to make the mixture liquefy. Pour into molds and freeze.
2. Combine 1 cup each of sliced, peeled peaches and nectarines with 1/4 cup orange juice and blend until pureed, adding orange juice as needed.
3. Berries are so flavorful in a popsicle. Combine 1/2 cup each of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries with about 1/4 cup of water to make a lovely purple liquid that makes a tangy popsicle.
4. In a blender, combine 1 cup whole strawberries, tops removed, 1 ripe banana, and 1/4 cup water or orange juice. Pour into molds and freeze.
Sweet Treats
Here are some popsicle recipes that go beyond just fruit to make dessert-like popsicles.
1. In a blender, combine 2 ripe bananas, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1 cup of sweetened, vanilla almond milk. Liquefy, then pour into molds and freeze.
2. You don’t need a blender for this recipe. You can combine these ingredients in a bowl or jar: 1 cup orange juice, 1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt, and sugar or honey to taste. Whisk everything together and freeze in molds.
3. For a refreshing chocolate-mint popsicle, try this recipe: In a bowl, blend 2 cups vanilla yogurt with 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup. Whisk in 1 or 2 drops of peppermint flavoring or 1/4 cup of cool, strong peppermint tea. Freeze.
4. Chocolate and strawberries or raspberries are a classic combination. In a double boiler, melt 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. While the chips melt, blend 2 cups of strawberries or raspberries in the blender until liquid. Slowly pour the melted chocolate into the puree while the blender is running. Freeze in molds.
Helpful Tips
* Coat the inside of popsicle molds with light oil such as safflower or canola to make unmolding easier. Running warm water over the mold before removing the popsicle also helps.
* Just about any smoothie recipe can be frozen into popsicles.
Home Skin Care for Sunburns
Hopefully, you will not get a bad sunburn this summer. But if you do, there are some things you can do at home to relieve the discomfort and help prevent peeling. Here are some tips.
Time for Tea
Both black and green tea can help soothe skin. As soon as possible after you discover your sunburn, brew 4 to 6 cups of strong tea. Add this strong tea to a lukewarm bath and soak. You may want to do this tea treatment once a day for a few days.
You can also apply cooled tea bags to the burn, or use cooled tea as a wash or lotion.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has an interesting property – when mixed with water, a chemical reaction occurs that makes the mixture icy-cold, even if you use warm water. This cooling property can help relieve sunburn. You can mix a cupful or two of baking soda to a lukewarm bath for a soothing soak.
Cooling Poultice
If your sunburn is over a fairly small area, you could apply a cooling mask or poultice. Plain yogurt and cucumber are said to be healing and cooling to sunburned skin. Blend peeled cucumber and plain yogurt in a blender until smooth. Add milk if you need to make it thinner. Apply this to burned skin and leave on for ten minutes or so, then rinse with lukewarm or cool water. You can repeat this several times a day if you need to, or leave the poultice on for longer if you like.
As a variation, you can add sweet almond oil or coconut oil to the above mixture to add moisturizing properties to the poultice.
Aloe Vera
The gel from aloe vera leaves is not only soothing for “regular” burns – it also can soothe burns caused by the sun. If you have an aloe plant, you can split the leaves lengthwise and spread the gel on burned skin. You can also purchase pure aloe vera gel, or moisturizers that contain it. Some experts suggest, though, that the “real thing” straight from the plant is best.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Do you have a bottle of this in your home? It is said to be very good for promoting the healing of sunburn. Pour a cup or so into a lukewarm bath and soak as often and as long as needed. Rinse gently with lukewarm water before you dry off. If the smell bothers you, try adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your bath along with the vinegar. Lavender essential oil is said to be a good choice for soothing skin.
Heatstroke in Children – How to Avoid and Treat It
Heatstroke is no light matter. It is a very serious condition and needs to be treated as such. The following tips are intended to help you recognize the symptoms of heatstroke, prevent it from occurring, and how to treat it while you are waiting for professional medical assistance.
1. Know the Signs
How do you know if your child has heat stroke? Here are some of the signs unique to this condition.
* Despite time spent in the hot sun, your child is not sweating very much. This is because, when heatstroke occurs, the body’s ability to cool itself is compromised. Sweating is the primary way for our bodies to cool down.
* Your child does not answer you when you call his or her name. Although your child may not seem unconscious, he or she seems disengaged and detached.
* Unconsciousness can occur if the heatstroke is severe.
* The skin is blotchy.
* If your child’s temperature is over 104, it’s probably a case of heatstroke. It’s a good idea to keep a thermometer on hand during the summer months to check for this.
2. Prevention
Here are some tips for preventing heatstroke.
* Air conditioning is one of the best safeguards against heat stroke. If your child is spending time outdoors when it’s really hot and sunny, take periodic breaks in an air-conditioned building or vehicle.
* Stay hydrated with cool liquids. It’s important that the liquid be as cold as possible to keep internal body temperature down. Travel with an ice-filled cooler or take along portable chilling blocks to keep drinks cold.
* Never leave a child in a car in the spring or summer, even with windows down.
* Watch for any signs of discomfort or uncharacteristic behavior and get the child out of the sun immediately.
* Sunscreen does not protect against heatstroke; your child is still in the sun and heat even with sunscreen or sunblock on his or her skin.
3. Treatment
While you are waiting for medical advice and treatment, the following measures can help treat the heatstroke and relieve its severity.
* Get the child to a shady and preferably air-conditioned area as soon as possible. If you are not near a public building (gas station, library, restaurant, store, mall, etc.), then put your child in an air-conditioned vehicle.
* Remove as much of the child’s clothing as possible.
* Apply cold compresses to the child’s body, such as ice packs or cold washcloths. Spritzing the child with cold water from a spray bottle is also helpful.
* Baking soda and water in a spray bottle is more cooling than plain water.
* Use an electric or manual fan to promote evaporation of the water you’re applying to the child’s skin.
Red Lentil Dip
Ingredients:
1 cup dried red lentils
3 cups vegetable broth (homemade or bought)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large tomato, chopped
1 red bell pepper, roasted and chopped
Salt and pepper
Freshly chopped parsley
Instructions:
In a saucepan, cook the red lentils in the broth until soft and mushy.
Place the lentils in a food processor, together with the garlic, tomato and red bell pepper and season. Process until smooth. Arrange on a plate, sprinkle with parsley and serve with whole wheat crackers, rice crackers or crusty bread.
Top Tips for Becoming a Healthier Family – Physically and Mentally
Physical and mental health are intertwined, and both aspects of our health need to be addressed. It tends to become easier to address one when the other is thriving. In today’s family, each individual tends to isolate him or herself behind a computer, television, or other electronic device. The family, though, while made up of unique individuals, is a unit. There’s no family like your family! So to keep everyone fit physically and mentally, try some of these tips.
Rest and Sleep
Families are busy. Sleep is often low on the list of things to do in everyone’s 24 hours. But experts agree that adequate sleep is essential for adults and children of all ages. Sleep and rest are important for both physical and mental health. Establishing routines and bedtimes can help. Of course, no routine is completely rigid; everyone can “stay up past bedtime” now and then. But that should be the exception, not the norm.
Diet
It’s so tempting to have junk food handy – everyone likes it and it’s convenient. But the benefits of junk food are deceptive. Everyone may like it, but it’s convenient only insofar as your family stays healthy despite eating it. In other words, junk food’s convenience is undermined if you have digestive upsets, behavior problems, sleep disturbances, and many other possible reactions to the dubious ingredients in junk foods.
Of course, junk food requires little or no preparation, which is part of its appeal. Isn’t it easier to throw your kids a bag of chips than make them a healthy snack? However, as noted above, “easier” can be deceptive depending on the fall-out experienced from eating too much junk food – especially weight gain. The easy aspect of junk food becomes a lot less easy when you think about how hard it is to exercise the excess weight off!
Healthy foods help keep us fit physically and mentally. Healthy fats are said to keep skin, brains and nervous systems in good working order; fresh fruits and vegetables provide fiber, antioxidants, and vital nutrients; whole grains promote good digestion and also provide fiber and key nutrients. Healthy foods do not have to be complicated – it is no more difficult to prepare and eat a handful of nuts than it is a bowl of chips.
Food Preparation
If you’re going to take all this talk about healthy foods seriously, it means someone has to prepare them! Try involving the whole family. Not only will it burn more calories to get family members up off the couch and into the kitchen, but it invites experimentation and a willingness to try new foods. After all, aren’t we all a little more inclined to try something new if we had a hand in “inventing” and preparing it?
Establish Traditions
Your family is unique. Celebrate that uniqueness with special family traditions and activities. This does not mean you have to host two enormous family reunions each year. It can be something as simple as a weekly bike ride or hike, or attending local events each year. Let this be your family time together that is distinctive. Talk about building memories!
Family Fun in the Sun
There is a movement afoot to get people outdoors, especially children and families. The health benefits of being outdoors and in the sun (without sunburns, of course) are coming to light, encouraging people to get out into nature and the outdoors.
Getting out on the beach is one of the most beautiful and fun ways to do this. But some families aren’t really sure what they are supposed to do once they get out there. Here are some ideas for family fun in the sun.
Games
If you aren’t sure what to do on the beach, try some fun games. Volleyball and badminton are fun, but they do require nets and some special equipment. Bring along a Frisbee if you just want to have fun without a lot of items to carry and set up.
Water Sports
Try something new! Sign up for a snorkeling class, go boating, or just participate in old-fashioned body surfing. Tubing is fun, too – you sit in an inner tube that is pulled along by a motor boat. As long as everyone in the family can swim, there are fun opportunities at the beach to try new water sports.
Crafts
Sand, shells, feathers, driftwood, and other (safe) finds on the beach can be made into interesting crafts. Shells can be made into necklaces, pins, hair clips, and funny animal shapes. Did you know you can cast shapes in the sand using plaster of Paris? Here’s how:
In damp sand, dig out a shape you like, such as a fish or starfish shape. Make it about 2 inches deep. If you want a mosaic-like effect, lay shells or other colorful items such as marbles in the bottom of the shape you dug out, pushing them into the sand slightly so they won’t move. Mix the plaster so that it is thick, then pour it into the mold. After about an hour, you can dig the plaster cast out. Let your memento dry in a safe place for about 24 hours.
Sand Castles
Don’t forget about this classic beach activity. The whole family can build one big sand castle, or you can have a friendly family competition to see who can build the most elaborate, most creative, or most whatever castle. Bring along buckets, cups, and other hollow items to mold interesting shapes.
Fire It Up
A bonfire on the beach is a beautiful and enjoyable activity for the evening. Depending on your location and the time of year, interesting creatures come out at dark on the beach, such as ghost crabs or glowing jelly fish. Bring blankets and towels and view stars and constellations.
You can bring along the fixings for dinner, or head out to the beach after dinner for dessert (s’mores, anyone?). Or you can do both! A bonfire doesn’t even have to involve food; it’s just a lovely end to a fun day in the sun.
Easy Guide to Composting
Making your own compost can be an economical way to use kitchen scraps and yard waste, and it is a natural means of keeping your yard, garden, and plants healthy. If you’d like to get started composting, here are some simple guidelines.
How Much?
Before you begin, sit down and think about how much compost you need, how much kitchen and yard waste you generate, and what kind of space you have. Depending on these factors, you’ll need to decide whether or not you want to go with indoor or outdoor composting, whether or not you want to use worms, and whether or not you want a bin.
Indoor composting is recommended for people whose space is limited, such as those with small houses and yards or apartment dwellers.
Worms are often used in small, indoor compost systems.
For those with larger outdoor areas, compost bins can be built outdoors for little money and effort. You can also compost without a bin and simply make a pile in a sheltered corner of your yard.
Build the Bin
If you are going to compost indoors, you will need a container of some sort, and worms are considered essential for indoor composting. You can purchase a ready-made worm composting system, or you can make your own by poking holes in an opaque, plastic container and setting it on a drainage tray. The worms initially feed on wet, shredded newspaper; then you begin adding kitchen scraps and more newspaper. The worm bin should never be allowed to get below 55 degrees.
For an outdoor bin, a low-cost, easy method is to use wooden packing pallets. Most stores that receive shipments in these slatted containers are fine with people taking them (use packing pallets are usually discarded). You just need four of the pallets to make an open-topped square to hold your compost. You can wire or nail them together; just make sure one side is easily removed so you can access the compost.
Piles of Compost
If you don’t want to build a bin, you can just make a pile of yard and kitchen scraps. You will need to turn it often to keep its heaped shape, but this basic method can work. It seems to work best if the compost pile is against a house or other building.
Compost Care and Feeding
Excepting dairy products, fish and meat, you can put most kitchen scraps into your compost, including egg shells, tea leaves, and coffee grounds. Any organic matter from your yard can be added, such as hay, straw, cut grass, leaves, mulch, wood chips, and slender prunings from shrubs. You can also add a modest amount of shredded newspaper. Any paper, however, takes longer to decompose.
If you have chickens, the cleanings from their coop can be added to the compost. Chicken manure makes the compost rich and full of nutrients. However, the waste from other pets (dogs, cats, etc.) should not be added to compost.
Turn your compost once a month or so, stirring to aerate it and get the top layer down into the middle.
Water your compost briefly with a garden hose if the weather is very dry. Better yet, water it with rain water from a rain barrel.
The Benefits of Natural Lawn Care
What is natural lawn care? Essentially, caring for your lawn naturally means you don’t use synthetic chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides on your lawn. It means you do use natural fertilizers and organic means of dealing with pests. Natural lawn care can apply to a few methods or you can go “all the way” and have a lawn that is “given back” to nature and not maintained artificially at all.
There are many benefits associated with natural lawn care. Here are some of them.
Healthier
If you stop spraying your lawn with chemicals every season, your lawn will be free of these dubious substances. This may make your whole family healthier in the long run. It is probably healthier for the environment, too – lawns that are not doused with chemicals are lawns that do not shed these chemicals into the surrounding ecosystem and water supply each time it rains.
Also, caring for your lawn naturally usually results in lush, green grass that is healthier. Healthy grass absorbs more carbon dioxide from the air and puts out more oxygen.
Saves Water
If you engage in natural lawn care, you will probably set up a rain barrel to provide water for your lawn. Even if you don’t, you may find that you water a naturally-maintained yard less, because the grass is healthier, longer, and able to withstand dry conditions better.
Easier
As you engage in natural lawn care, you may find it’s a lot easier. There is less mowing involved, for one thing; natural lawns are generally allowed to grow to four inches or more. You can use your grass clippings as mulch, and you won’t have the added chore of pouring on synthetic fertilizer and pesticides.
Saves Money
Synthetic chemicals cost money. If you switch to natural lawn care, you will no longer be paying annually for chemical treatments and sprays.
Biodiversity
If you go “all the way” with your natural lawn care and decide to let nature take over, you will find “weeds” setting in. Many of these “weeds” are valuable plants that are important to the surrounding ecosystem. Some of them are edible or medicinal, too.
Beneficial Insects and Birds
A lawn that is cared for naturally will tend to attract wildlife, especially bees and birds. These important members of the ecosystem appreciate a sanctuary that is free from chemicals and where there is suitable habitat.
How to Make Bath Time More Fun for Toddlers
Bath time can be a struggle for parents of toddlers. Some toddlers are terribly afraid of water; others love water but don’t want to take a bath. What’s a parent to do? Making bath time a more fun experience can help toddlers and parents alike. Here are some tips.
Participate!
Put on a bathing suit and get in the tub with your toddler. Some pediatricians recommend this as a way to help alleviate toddler fears and anxiety about the water – going down the drain, and so forth.
If your toddler is very afraid, you might have him sit on your lap and bathe that way. You can also go gradually – dip his feet in and out quickly, making it fun and full of movement. Then up to his knees, then on your lap, etc. You may find you only have to do this a few times before your toddler’s fears are overcome and he can take a bath with you nearby, but not in the water.
Toys
Bath toys can be so much fun for toddlers. You don’t have to have anything really expensive; raid your recycle bin and find some plastic items that make safe, fun toys. Some examples are:
* Water bottles (sports tops can be really fun)
* Cups
* Empty soap pumps
* Yogurt or margarine containers
* Plastic food containers
As long as there are no small parts or sharp edges, recycled items make really fun bath toys.
Of course, you can buy bath toys, too. Keep these and all bath toys in a special place and only get them out when it’s time to bathe. This may help your toddler look forward to bath time.
Bubbles
Bubble bath that is age-appropriate can be a lot of fun, and help your toddler who may be afraid of soap on her head and/or face. Try making a bubble “hat” and sneakily wash her hair. You can also let your toddler blow bubbles with a wand or other toy while she’s in the bath.
Know Your Toddler
Try to incorporate your toddler’s interest into the bath. For example, if your toddler loves to read, there are actually waterproof books made for the bath. Does he like cars? Look for a bath toy that is a “car wash” or other car-oriented toy with waterproof cars.
Maybe he likes to draw. There are washable “crayons” made from soap that your toddler can use to draw all over the bathtub and surrounding walls. For “magical” fun, look for dye tablets that dissolve in bath water and turn the bath water fun colors.
Allergic to Bee Stings
A certain species of bees (belonging to the Hymenoptera order) are more likely to cause anaphylaxis in humans. If you have discovered that you are allergic to bee stings, prepare to stay safe while you enjoy the summer outdoors.
Anaphylaxis is a severe reaction to a food, insect or other substance once it enters the body. The effects are usually felt almost immediately. They can be life threatening if treatment is not administered right away.
For those who are allergic to bees, you may find that anaphylaxis occurs even if you have been stung before with no adverse effects. The venom of the bee enters the body and causes a severe allergic reaction.
Those who are allergic may experience:
* Swelling of the tongue and throat
* Dizziness
* Labored breathing
* Headache
* Nausea and vomiting
After you have been exposed to a bee sting leading to a bout of anaphylaxis, your doctor will more than likely prescribe an epi-pen. This is an injector pencil that delivers a dose of epinephrine into the system to reopen the blood vessels and the airway. Epinephrine, or adrenalin, is found naturally in the body. It dilates blood vessels.
An immediate shot can provide enough relief to get medical attention. One thing to remember is that one epi-pen dose can wear off and the anaphylaxis begins again if the venom is still present. That is another reason why it is important to seek medical attention right away.
Preparing for a Summer Full of Bees
Don
4th July BBQ Chicken
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 skinless Chicken breast halves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp tamari sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
To make the marinade, mix together the brown sugar, tamari, sesame seeds and garlic in a shallow dish. Stir well and season. Place the chicken breasts into the marinade, turning them over once to coat each side.
Cover and chill for a few hours.
Heat up the BBQ. Remove the chicken from the marinade (keep the marinade) and cook on the BBQ (turning occasionally) until no longer pink inside. Use the left-over marinade to baste the chicken occasionally. This will keep your chicken nice and moist.
Enjoy with a homemade potato salad.
Pros and Cons of the Different Types of Air Conditioners
Air conditioning is not only comfortable in the heat of summer; it can be a life-saver for individuals whose health suffers in extreme heat. Not all air conditioning systems are the same, however. Here is a brief list of some of the more common types available, and their respective pros and cons.
1. Central Air Conditioning
If you’ve ever shopped for a house, you know that “central heat and air” is something many consider a strong selling point. While central air conditioning can be comfortable, it is not without its drawbacks. Here are some things to consider.
Pros:
* Central air conditioning tends to cool the whole house evenly, which raises the occupants’ comfort level significantly.
* A continuous supply of fresh air is circulated throughout the home or building.
* Unlike some other units, central air conditioning runs fairly quietly which can also add to the comfort level of the occupants.
Cons:
* Expense is a drawback with central air. Many systems use a lot of electricity and therefore cost a lot to run. Also, the system itself can cost anywhere from $3000 on up, depending on the type of central air system you purchase.
* Central air conditioning uses a lot of energy, which is a concern for people looking to decrease their personal energy use.
* Maintenance and service on central systems can get expensive and time-consuming.
2. Window and Wall Units
These are relatively common types of air conditioners and are noticeable from the outside of the building. Either a hole is cut into the wall and the unit mounted in it permanently, or the unit is mounted semi-permanently in a window. Here are some pros and cons.
Pros:
* For small spaces, a window or wall unit can be very economical. It cools a small space relatively quickly.
* The initial purchase is fairly inexpensive, ranging from $50 for a small unit into the hundreds of dollars for larger ones.
Cons:
* Many units of this nature are quite loud.
* The room that contains the air conditioning unit gets cooled the most, leaving other rooms hotter and less comfortable.
3. Portable Air Conditioners
These units can be moved from room to room, and usually have wheels. The exhaust system and venting system go out the window or wall.
Pros:
* Light and scenery from windows is not blocked (the exhaust kit uses a small amount of window space).
* For low-occupancy homes and buildings, portable air conditioners can save energy and money; only the occupied room needs to be cooled.
Cons:
* Noise can be a problem with portable units.
* For larger homes and buildings with many occupants, multiple units would probably be needed, which would increase the noise level and energy use.