Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat

Subject: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 11:45 AM

In this day and age, if you have an air conditioner in your home, the environmental answer to a heat wave is NOT to crank it down as low as it will go and refrigerate the house. The trick is to find the warmest temperature you can tolerate and keep it there, so you're not exposing yourself to a huge temperature shift from inside to outside.

Many homes in cooler climates don't have air conditioners. That is how I grew up, with a well-insulated house meant for cooler weather, not hot. Stay downstairs, move sleeping arrangements to the ground floor, and use box or oscillating fans to keep the air moving. Cover the windows in such a way to put up shade outside each window or patio door to keep the sun from beating into the house. The solar gain is wicked if you don't cover big areas of glass. Cross ventilation is good, if you can get it from a shady porch into the house.

A meteorologist here in Texas used to promote putting a sprinkler on the roof and running it at midday so the evaporative effect of the water would keep the attic and inside cooler. It does work but does involve figuring out how to get the sprinkler to stay put when the weight of the hose is bound to pull it back off the roof again. Do that trick advisedly, and only if you have ample water and water pressure.

If you can find such a thing as a mesh tarp, that lets about 40 to 50% of the light through, and put it up over your patio or exposed windows, this will let in enough light but mostly keep out a lot of the heat.

If you have an air conditioner you'll be using a lot of power, something that can be in short supply during hot periods. While you're suffering through the heat, remember that you need to tolerate as much of it as possible. In US measurements, I tend to keep the house at about 80 degrees when it's 100 or more outside. Before I go to bed I lower the thermostat to 78 to cool it a little more, then set it up to 82 when I retire. This way it's cool enough to get to sleep and I don't usually awaken as the house gets slowly warmer and at night the house doesn't warm up as fast. If you have air conditioning set too cool, the blowing from vents may wake you. A friend of mine uses the approach to cool the house as much as possible before going to bed, then turning off the AC, hoping the cool air will be enough overnight.

Small fans and spray bottles to dampen your skin or clothing to allow evaporative cooling is very effective. Fill several pots and containers with water in case pipes burst during the heat, so you can stay hydrated.

If you're in an area affected by more than just heat, such as a wildfire area, assemble things that can go quickly if you evacuate. I have a plastic hanging file box that has the most current household paperwork and bills along with banking information and such that can be put in the car along with clothes, water, electronics that can be easily transported (phone and charger, laptop and charger, and think about taking along the desktop CPU and leaving the rest on the desk. If the house burns down, what is in the computer can be used once you attach it to new monitors, printers, scanners, etc. Have clothing, medicines, pet food and pet gear ready to go, all in the car, if you evacuate.

If you're suffering, so is the wildlife. Clean any bird baths and keep them filled daily. If you do this every day you won't have a mosquito problem; they need 5 days for larva to become mosquitoes. Put plant saucers (for under pots) on the ground and keep them filled for birds, lizards, honeybees, and more. You'll find an interesting array of creatures willing to share your water if you situate yourself so you can see these water sources.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 11:52 AM

Air conditioner???? I don't even have an electric fan! I think after the zoom singaround tonight I might sleep on the sofa in my East facing living room.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 11:56 AM

Last time I stayed at my Mom's house in Seattle (with no AC and the upstairs bedroom windows nailed closed for some insane reason) we did the "move the sleeping arrangements to the ground floor" thing and laid out mattresses for the four of us in Mom's office near the back door. This was during a 90^o heat wave in Seattle, something we could manage in Texas, but not in a hot upstairs in Seattle with no moving air at night.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 12:23 PM

Basements not in a flood zone or living low with roofs you can garden or mow are cool. In most places 30 feet down is a steady 55 degrees. Sorry TX and OK, you guys can't dig basements.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 12:57 PM

We haven't got an air conditioner and we don't know anyone who has one. Our two downstairs rooms both have large south-facing windows, BUT the very high summer sun doesn't get the whole room as it does in spring and autumn, just the back of the sofa! In addition, our walls are two feet thick, solid stone, so they take so long to heat through that we don't have a problem in short heatwaves. We're not used to the kind of humid heat we've had today, so we've stayed indoors today with the doors and windows closed (to keep the hot air out). Nothing strenuous has been done. I'm a bit of a sunshine-nut, but not today. Later on I'll be cooking (minimally) outdoors, just hot dogs preceded by that lovely, thick, cold Andalusian soup salmorejo that I stirred myself to make this afternoon, and I might just pour us an aperol spritz...

I'm just off to cold-hose my head down...

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 01:05 PM

We're on a water meter, so every drop is recorded and has to be paid for. I too do not know anyone with an air conditioner here.
In my many travels alone in West Africa, I always turned off the air conditioner in the hotel rooms in which I stayed. If you keep it on, your body never acclimatises to the higher temperature outside, so when you leave the hotel to explore a city, the heat hits you like a bomb!
In a little bed-and-breakfast type of place in Senegal, I foolishly put out a bowl of water for the little lizards and wild birds I saw in the area around the building. (The drought that year had been horrendous). The owner rushed out to berate me - she said that every snake in Abene would be heading for the compound to get at the water, and many of them are venomous. She was right - I saw many snakes while there.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 05:30 PM

We have 2 air conditioning units in our single storey office, one old set to 24C and the newer one in the room where I work set to recommended 21C. So temperature inside was cool and pleasant to work in. Outside was a furnace at 36-37C and expected to be higher tomorrow.

At home we have 2 fans running downstairs for Mrs Bonzo and greyhound with a cooler and fan running upstairs for me at my PC.

A cold bath calleth!!!

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 05:56 PM

When I lived without air-conditioning (from birth to 2013), I always closed curtains and windows during the day and opened up at night. (All properly kept Canadian homes have fly screens, and this is why.) An electric fan oriented to blow across the bed makes the steamiest night tolerable.

Showers were taken at night just before going to bed, and one never towelled oneself completely dry. While still damp, sprawl on the bed in the breeze from the fan … Aaaah!

Old houses are easier to live in without air-conditioning as they are designed for cross-ventilation. Modern (post-2000) houses — not so much.

Most important, dress suitably for hot weather, in loose cotton clothes you can sweat through without regret. Jeans are usually both too snug and too heavy, contributing to heat rash in the crotch and around the waist.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 07:20 PM

There's another thread about it, but this time of year the shower on the back patio is attached to the garden hose and is wonderful after dark. It's a simple multi-spray head with a hose that is normally put in the bathtub, but I attached it to one of the uprights holding up the patio cover. It's private back there and all you need is a place to hang your bathrobe and your towel. A friend of mine has a short fence built around his backyard shower and he has towel hooks on the outside of that fence; mine is near the patio door and there is a swinging iron security gate that serves well to hang up the towel. This can be that shower right before bed that Charmion mentioned.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 08:37 PM

Gosh, I just strip off (down, girls...) and turn the hose on myself. No towels, no bathrobes (I haven't got any of those). Three or four sheets of Waitrose extra-strong kitchen towels and a few minutes' air-drying will do me. Mind you, I haven't got any neighbours...

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 08:44 PM

Steve, I can just see myself pulling that stunt in lovely, leafy Stratford.

First, the mozzies would take great hunks out of me before I could even get the hose aimed. Then the neighbours would start selling tickets.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: JennieG
Date: 18 Jul 22 - 10:06 PM

An old Ozzie trick is to thoroughly wet a sheet, wring it out (not too much though; you don't want it to dry too quickly) and hang it in front of a fan, a cheap but effective way of evaporative cooling.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 02:28 AM

With double glazing, narrow type facing North & new 1 inch facing South, my house is cooler than the air outside at midday. Mind you I do open doors & windows for the cool night air to circulate, then close up before outside gets hotter.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 03:01 AM

I've just read an email from my sister up in Scotland. She hates hot weather (unlike me) and every Monday she gives online bridge lessons and plays tournament bridge using a webcam (is that the word?). Well, she told me she's found a good way to keep cool while doing this, seated at her Kitchen table ; she thoroughly wetted a large pair of her cotton knickers under the tap and put them on her head! I shook with laughter when I read that - I wonder what all the other bridge fans thought when they saw her appear on their screens with knickers on her head!
My poor window cleaners are due to arrive today, but if they've any sense they'll wait a few days until it's cooler. But I've got the icy-cold cans of Diet Coke ready for them if they do show up.
Can you believe that I always sleep under a 15 Tog goosedown duvet, even in this hot weather? I reckon it keeps the heat OUT, and I sleep like a log. You can tell that both my sister and myself are rather ... er... eccentric! It must be because we're half-Irish!

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 03:13 AM

Our air-source heating is designed to work in reverse as well so we could theoretically have cool floors. Not tried it yet as I suspect that it might use quite a bit of power.
It does suggest that as more housing turns over to this form of heating that there will be a growing percentage of UK houses with this sort of cooling.

Robin

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:07 AM

Ah I see Dave! It's 'Lets Pick A Fight With Sen Day' today! hee hee.
Actually, (digs hole deeper) my mother was one of EIGHT, and all my Irish uncles and aunts were hilariously 'eccentric'. They used to quote funny verses and songs spontaneously, and do daft, endearing things a lot of the time.
To get back to the thread title though, my mother could take any amount of heat thrown at her. Like me, she adored hot weather. Now her name 'Duffy' means 'black' in Erse, and there's a theory that many of the Duffy clan have African genes in them, from African slaves unloaded at the port of Cork, some of whom ran off and mixed with the native population. Now if true, that would make me ecstatic. I tan easily and like my mum have black hair ( a bit grey in parts now). One day, I might do one of those DNA tests to verify this. This could explain why the heat never ever bothers me, just like my African husband.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:28 AM

Fortunately we’re in Northumberland for the week - 28C yesterday, 29C predicted today. We took a two-hour sea-trip out to the Farne Islands yesterday morning for the puffins and other sea-birds, seals, and the Longstone Lighthouse (Grace Darling’s old gaff) and it was deliciously cool aboard. The afternoon was spent relaxing in the shade in the beautiful garden of our rented cottage, with cool non-alcoholic drinks to hand. This afternoon is planned similarly, following a very nice brunch at the local cafe.

It’s a tough job, but… :-)

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:32 AM

29.9 outside on my West facing window and it is only 9:30 am. 1.5 degrees hotter inside my flat than it was yesterday. Not looking forward to this afternoon.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:57 AM

it is not ok to say polish people are eccentric or african people are eccentric, it is a sterotyping and a racist comment even if it was not intentional

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 05:40 AM

I grew up in Sydney's western suburbs, about 20 km to the west of where I am now, close to the Harbour & much hotter than the coast. We all had small fans in our rooms.

I remember Dad laying on the bathroom floor reading with a fan blowing on him! It was the coolest room in the house, but only a bath long & a bath & a half wide! Perhaps someone else could have sat/lay in the bath ...

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stanron
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 07:01 AM

"she thoroughly wetted a large pair of her cotton knickers under the tap and put them on her head!"

I'm doing much the same right now with a large paper towel. It possibly helps being nearly bald. Inside it's 28.4 C and outside it's supposed to be about 34. I'll do the wet shirt thing later.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 08:37 AM

We have all enjoyed a hot lunch in our beautiful air conditioned office, with brutal heat outside - now 38C!

Amazon delivered a new fan at home, which once I'd got my head around fixing it together, was very efficent indeed. I can't understand mean people who have just one fan - you need at least 4 this weather.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 08:51 AM

It's possibly worth reflecting on the fact that the energy-guzzling use of air conditioning is one of the main contributors to global heating. A solution that's a big part of the problem.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 09:48 AM

Sorry for the glitchy read above, but the picking-of-fights when everyone is miserable from the heat is not needed or wanted and is deleted.

Every day we're creeping up a degree hotter this week, though the forecast suggests we'll cool by several degrees, from 111 today to about 101 by end of the week. Any kind of cooling is welcome, but we're counting the days till autumn.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 10:16 AM

Aw, c’mon, Steve! You could say the same about space-heating in winter.

Wherever they live, humans eventually stop trying to adapt themselves to their environments and start adapting their environments to themselves. It’s how we roll as a species.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: pattyClink
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 10:41 AM

Senoufou, the wet undies on the head has the advantage of giving your friends a laugh, lots to be said for that. But I have seen lots of guys working outdoors in the US South who will roll up a small wet towel and keep it around their neck while working. It does help with lowering the body temperature, which of course is very important when heat gets to the danger point.

Best wishes to everyone suffering, and remember to check on neighbors who need it.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 11:22 AM

When I work outside in hot weather I always put a bandana over my head then hold it in place with a ball cap, so it hangs down and shades my neck and the sides of my face. Using a squirt bottle, or if desperate, the hose, to dampen it does wonders for staying cool.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 12:03 PM

Should you have some time to waste, take a look at a 40-year-old movie called "Platoon" -- very popular in its time, but not a particularly edifying bit of filmed fiction.

It does have one thing in its favour, however: the producers evidently consulted a genuine Nam veteran who told them how soldiers of that time adapted to the jungle heat. All the actors playing grunts wear olive-drab towels under their helmets, with the ends hanging down to screen their necks and faces.

Nowadays, soldiers (from First World armies) in hot countries carry Camelbak water packs. "Piss white, yer all right", said my dear old sergeant. Add that weight to the body armour and the ammo load ... My knees hurt just thinking about it.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 03:19 PM

Of course, Charmion. But aircon is now a luxury that didn't exist a few decades ago, mostly in "advanced" countries only. And it does do the environmental damage I mentioned. Inconvenient but true.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 03:39 PM

I do not need air conditioning, a traditional stone house like mine is cool in the summer

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:02 PM

Do you know something Steve Shaw, those of us aged 75 who still work are very glad of air conditioning to be comfortable. Alleged "damage to the environment" is for nutters to waste their time pontificating about!!!!

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:18 PM

When I was a kid in Kansas in the 50s, all we had was a 'water cooler'. It was a metal box with a mesh screen inside where a layer of shredded wood they called 'excelsior' was wrapped. At the top of the unit was a trough where a garden hose was attached and turned to just a trickle. A squirrel cage fan blew slightly cooled, moist air into the house. However, it was only really helpful when you stood reasonably close it it. I remember going with my father to buy a new mat after a couple of years.

Our old 37 Chevvy had a similar gadget that hung on the car window. You'd regularly stop and add some water to the reservoir.

(I have tried a commercial version of the dampened neck wrap. It actually helps.)

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:29 PM

We're into our first official heat wave of the Summer.. defined as 4 days of 90F in a row. It's expected to last another week. It may make an actual 100F tomorrow.

In the 1950s, I delivered newspapers in 100+ weather a few times.. And in about 1952, it was about 102 when my Mom & I got on a train to go visit her brother in San Diego. We spent a week there in balmy 75º weather... then got back on the train and stepped off in Wichita to 104º!! Yeah, we had some hot Summers, but I never read about this widespread heat all over the world.

   Nervous? Yup...

Subject: RE: Tips from DC for beating the heat
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:39 PM

Upstairs is pleasant but
I'm under the covers with a heating pad on my ankle since the air conditioning sinks to the next to lower level and the adjacent utility room has exposed frigid vents throughout. No Mc Mansion here, the ceilings are only 8 feet high. Icy expanses of the GOT is on the tv. Its a kind of suffering but I'm going to heat up some left over hot sausage and pasta.
I blame RAP for suggesting this LENNOX cooling system. Brrr

Remember last year the artic circle was over 100 F?













i

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Helen
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 04:39 PM

Someone - possibly a woman I used to work with who volunteered at a local Scout group - told me about these cooling neck scarves:

Cool Scarf

"The N-rit Cool Scarf neck cooler rapidly lowers body temperature
Stays cool and does not require refrigeration. How to use: Soak your handy kooler in cool or cold water for about 30 minutes or until the crystals have expanded."

I'm not sure what the crystals are. They are described as "crystal polymer cooling technology", whatever that is.

In Oz we are very aware of not doing heavy physical activity during heat waves. When I first visited the lovely town of Broken Hill in Central Australia on an extremely hot summer day, my friend and I were walking around the shopping area at midday and when we went into the shops the shop attendants were emerging from their back rooms looking a bit sleepy.

We found out that the canny locals tend to have siestas in the middle of the day and it was only the crazy tourists, e.g. us, who were silly enough to think that life goes on as normal at the hottest part of the day. If you can, save your physical activity for a cooler part of the day, or better still when the heatwave is over.

Even the workers in Australia are told to stop working in extreme heatwaves and any day with temperatures over 37 deg Celsius is considered too hot to work according to Occupational Health & Safety standards.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 05:05 PM

Inside at work regulated to 21C, outside 39C!!

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 06:09 PM

So you're a climate change denier, Bonzo. As long as we know.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 06:12 PM

Whatevaaaaar!!!!!

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 07:42 PM

The refrigerant used in newer air conditioners is much less harmful to the environment than the old Freon units. Here I'm in an all electric house and I buy my power from a wind power company. I try to keep it as warm as possible - what I can stand - to avoid the shock of indoors to outdoors transitions. Usually around 80^o. It hit 112^o outside today.

Bill, you were describing what in Arizona they call a swamp cooler, and it works in dry climates because it creates the humidity to help cool down with. I had one of those on a manufactured house in park housing when I lived down at the US/Mexico border. Sometimes those mats catch fire. :-/

I can't believe the deck company that is refinishing the concrete patio at the house next door continued to work yesterday and today. I'd be afraid of heat injuries. If it was my patio I would have postponed the work till cooler weather.

The experience people have of the heat is relative to what they're used to. Accusing people of being hard on the environment when they're trying to save their lives (and a lot of people will not survive these heat events) is pointless. We need to do what we can as we go forward, but need to survive right now.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 07:50 PM

The Guardian, 26 Aug. 2019:

Buying an air conditioner is perhaps the most popular individual response to climate change, and air conditioners are almost uniquely power-hungry appliances: a small unit cooling a single room, on average, consumes more power than running four fridges, while a central unit cooling an average house uses more power than 15. “Last year in Beijing, during a heatwave, 50% of the power capacity was going to air conditioning,” says John Dulac, an analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA). “These are ‘oh shit’ moments.”

There are just over 1bn single-room air conditioning units in the world right now – about one for every seven people on earth. Numerous reports have projected that by 2050 there are likely to be more than 4.5bn, making them as ubiquitous as the mobile phone is today. The US already uses as much electricity for air conditioning each year as the UK uses in total. The IEA projects that as the rest of the world reaches similar levels, air conditioning will use about 13% of all electricity worldwide, and produce 2bn tonnes of CO2 a year – about the same amount as India, the world’s third-largest emitter, produces today.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 07:56 PM

It's not the refrigerant, Maggie, important though that is. It's the amount of electricity that the thing uses.

If there's one issue in rich western countries that leads to uncomfortable buttock-shuffling denial, it's aircon in buildings...

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 08:29 PM

And my power comes from a wind farm.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 08:49 PM

Perhaps that precious wind farm energy could've been put to more virtuous use...

It's a tough one, innit...

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 09:56 PM

Better use than protecting lives. You think about it. What would you put above that on the list? It's 44.5 C out there today.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Helen
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 11:22 PM

We have a split system air conditioner. We can just put it on for the two rooms we are using rather than the whole house. Our house is extremely well insulated so we only need to put the air con on for a short time e.g. 30 minutes, and then turn it off when the required temperature is reached. It stays fairly well within the comfortable range for some hours, usually. Later in the day we might put it on again and then turn it off. If ours was powered by solar or wind energy, even better but the changeover to alternative power is on our budget list for the very near future.

We are lucky we have a well-insulated house. It would not be appropriate for us to cast aspersions on other people who are not so lucky, especially in an emergency, a health-threatening or life-or-death situation.

I'm with Maggie. This heatwave has been declared as an emergency. Lives and health are very much at stake. Common sense has to prevail during emergency situations. Those stats on how much power air conditioners use are possibly/probably based on them being on for at least 12 hours per day, and also have to take into account lots of very large buildings like my previous workplace and not just individual dwelling places.

Yes, climate action is a top priority but lives and health in an emergency must be protected.

And countries where heatwaves are not common has the increased risk of people not knowing which precautions to take, and possibly underestimating the gravity of the situation, taking unnecessary risks and putting their health and/or their lives in danger.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 22 - 11:31 PM

In Texas the ERCOT folks asked the Crypto miners to turn off their power-hungry systems. It saved 1% at the time they turned off - not a lot, but it made a difference for the area around Houston.

I have one unit out, and one working here, and a portable one in my office that is on only when I'm in the office. (I have to finance putting in the new unit that will be more more efficient than the dead 20-year-old heat pump that was state of the art in its day).

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Helen
Date: 20 Jul 22 - 01:01 AM

I remember clearly the day that I was driving along the main street of a nearby suburb in an extreme heatwave. The traffic wasn't very heavy on the four lane road but it was consistent and moving fairly steadily. Suddenly a man walked straight off the footpath on a diagonal path across the road, totally oblivious of the traffic coming both ways. It was just sheer luck which stopped him from being run over by one or more cars.

He appeared to be in a world of his own, he was extremely red in the face, and looked like he was not in the best of health. I suspect that he had been out in the heat, not drunk enough water, and put himself in danger of a serious health crisis. He was heading towards a shady park so I hope that he found somewhere out of the heat but I lost sight of him, so I don't know if he was all right.

So drink lots of water, keep hydrated and keep safe.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 20 Jul 22 - 01:41 AM

I can't imagine what had brought on Steve Shaw's bout of sanctimoneous save the worldery??

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Mr Red
Date: 20 Jul 22 - 02:54 AM

Charmion " humans eventually stop trying to adapt themselves to their environments and start adapting their environments to themselves. It’s how we roll as a species. "

Yea, and it is how we fall over as a species. But good news, the planet will survive without us. For at least 1 billion years ish.

When politicians can't stand the heat, then something will be done. Probably too late.
For how politicians deal with pollution consider the Great Stink - UK parliament had to put disinfectant soaked rags /curtains at the windows to combat the smell of the Thames.
THEN they gave Joseph Bazeljet pretty much a free hand to design Lundun's sewers. He over-designed them. He knew human and political nature. They carried our 21^st C effluent effortlessly until very recently.

Subject: RE: Tips from Texas to the UK for beating the heat
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Jul 22 - 03:25 AM

Do you really think that trying to save the planet is sanctimonious Bonzo?