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The Cool Down is mainstream America's guide to a cleaner, cooler future, making it easy for people from all walks of life to help themselves while helping the planet.
- 2,349articles · 30d
- 11+ hour agolatest article
- Aug 15, 2026earliest in window
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News
US homebuyers turn to riskier mortgages as higher rates drive applications down
13+ hour, 4+ min ago (528+ words) Higher mortgage rates are affecting more than the housing market's pace. They're also nudging some borrowers toward loans that look cheaper at the start but may cost more later. As Realtor.com reported, the shift is emerging as mortgage demand…...
Texas food banks to get 7 million free eggs after settlement over alleged price-fixing
1+ day, 1+ hour ago (676+ words) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that more than 7 million eggs will be distributed for free to food banks across the state following a June settlement with three major egg producers over alleged egg price manipulation. For families already strained…...
Hitachi launches CO2 heat pump water heaters in Japan tuned for daytime solar tariffs
21+ hour, 51+ min ago (588+ words) Full efficiency figures for the new models have not been published yet. Hitachi is introducing a new range of EcoCute heat pump water heaters in Japan that use CO2-based heating and add controls suited to electricity pricing that favors daytime…...
US diesel hits record $5.98 as Iran war drives up costs from milk to lumber
1+ day, 3+ min ago (609+ words) "Families are getting hit by both gasoline and heating oil." AAA says the national average for diesel reached an unprecedented $5.98 per gallon on September 10, a new high for a fuel whose effects stretch well beyond filling stations. The increase is…...
Virginia consumer sentiment drops to 59.6 as inflation and cooling labor market squeeze budgets
1+ day, 50+ min ago (500+ words) Virginia shoppers are feeling more pressure at the checkout line, and a new poll suggests that these higher costs are affecting how residents view the economy as a whole. In August, a new Roanoke College survey found a sharp decline…...
Texas drivers feel Iran conflict at the pump as gas hits $3.70 in Austin
1+ day, 17+ hour ago (714+ words) "Regular unleaded in the Austin-San Marcos area is … about 98 cents more per gallon than one year ago." As conflict involving Iran disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, drivers and households in Central Texas are starting to feel the impact…...
California shoppers say grocery, gas squeeze deepens as 50% tariffs hit Canadian goods
5+ day, 20+ hour ago (535+ words) California households were already coping with elevated grocery and gas costs before the new U.S. trade action. Now, newly introduced tariffs on imports from Canada could add another source of pressure to already tight budgets, as KESQ reported. For families focused…...
Portland, Maine, renters could face a 2.6% hike next year as rent-control cap inches up
6+ day, 10+ hour ago (529+ words) Mayor Mark Dion has also criticized the law's structure, previously calling it "poorly written." Renters in Portland, Maine, could face another increase in housing costs after city officials set the 2027 rent-control cap at 2.6%. Even a small increase could add pressure…...
Chinese-made portable AC shipments to Europe double in 6 months as heat waves outpace cooling
1+ week, 2+ day ago (550+ words) The International Energy Agency said the region's 2025 AC installation rate was 23%. Europe's extreme summer heat is pushing portable air conditioners into the mainstream, as Chinese manufacturers ship more no-installation units to the region, where many older buildings make conventional AC…...
Walmart shopper spots 'shrinkflation' as corn chips quietly drop from 10 ounces to 9.25
1+ week, 5+ day ago (418+ words) "Literally almost everything has been impacted by this and it's so frustrating." A Walmart shopper's side-by-side look at a familiar snack after rebranding is striking a nerve: the bag has a fresh new look but comes with less food inside....