Aircool

Air Cool is one of those local shops I’d driven past for 20 years and never noticed was there. Where Oracle turns into Main St, just after you navigate that awkward little junction with Drachman, there they are and have been. Since 1958 (according to their website) they’ve been making and selling aspen pads for evaporative coolers (aka swamp coolers) that make living in the desert on the cheap (vs AC), possible.
Quite a volume of all natural aspen shavings go into these thick pads. I don’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing, but unlike other aspen pads I’ve found, theirs don’t come with a sticker that alerts you they have been «chemically treated» (to last longer and resist algae/​mold). I personally like but have nothing to support my theory, that I get cleaner air this way vs blowing air through a chemically treated media all day and night. However the downside is I have to be sure to do a cycle with added bleach on my cooler every couple weeks to keep it from getting algae growth.
I’ve noticed a difference for my house, that these thick pads make in the air temperature, and I like to think also add additional air filtration of sometimes dusty and stinky (neighbors BBQ) air outside. They are at least twice as thick as pads you’ll find at hardware stores.