Here are some tips for staying cool during extreme heat — which can negatively impact your health — and some actions that UMB’s Office of Sustainability has taken to keep our climate cool, too.
Has the summer heat felt more and more extreme in recent years? Do you remember the last time that summer rainfall in Baltimore was consistent? When you think of extreme weather, you may think of hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards. However, heat is the deadliest type of weather that exists — and part of the danger is people not realizing that the summer season has become increasingly hot, humid, and dangerous each year.
Being “Baltimore Strong” means fighting back and not letting the heat win. Here are a few things to try for yourself the next time the heat has you beat:
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Trees not only produce shade that provides us relief from the sun’s heat, but they also actively cool down their environment by releasing water vapor into the air.
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Finding a shady park might sound easy, but not everyone has equal access to trees and shade — a phenomenon that has been coined “tree equity.”
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If trees and green and shady spaces are hard to find, try to create your own. Potted plants, good curtains, or sheets to block the sunlight indoors, and a beach umbrella or a way to create shade outdoors might help.
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If you can create a breeze by buying a fan, do it!
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Staying hydrated is easier said than done. In extreme heat, even if you are drinking plenty of water, it is still quite easy to become dehydrated.
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Hit your hot spots! The fastest areas on your body that will cool you down are your wrists and neck, so grab a cool washcloth and feel the heat melt away.
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Eat foods high in water content like strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, peas, and cucumbers.
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Look out for each other. Make sure you are not only keeping yourself cool and hydrated but also looking out for other people to help keep them safe as well.
If you are still reading, perhaps you are like me and you do not just want to learn how to keep yourself cool, but how to cool our planet down, too. There are plenty of actions you can take that help cool down our planet. Here are examples of initiatives UMB’s Office of Sustainability has taken and actions that you can take, too:
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Installed green roofs and green walls in buildings.
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Reduced energy bills and consumption from switching to LED lighting and motion sensors.
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Installed a weather station so people can be aware of the temperature near campus.
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Began compost and self-service waste and recycling initiatives.
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Promoted environmental eating, food rescue, and sustainable transit (biking to work, Live Near Your Work program).
These initiatives help to lower the carbon dioxide emissions we are releasing into the atmosphere, which are fueling our hot and humid summers. Some of the best ways to reduce your own impact on the environment are:
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Reduce your consumption of animal-based products.
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Stop throwing food away in the trash. Try to eat, donate, upcycle, or ultimately compost it in that order before throwing it away.
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Run your washer on cold settings and use energy-efficient appliances when possible.
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Limit the time you drive and instead look to carpool, walk, bike, or take public transit.
Stay safe and take care!