September’s extended stretch of balmy weather has triggered heightened interest in heat – what it does to the human body, how cooling down cities has taken on new urgency, and how global climate change has finally ceased being a political issue that can be debated; without a doubt, it is happening.
We, who live in an area buffered by the Great Lakes, have been fortunate. Yes, we have been getting more tornadoes. It seems “tornado alley” has been shifting into Ontario.
However, we have largely escaped the severe floods, droughts, wildfires and heat domes that have devastated parts of this country, and hit other countries even harder.
For us, September’s heat wave has been quite pleasant – a late-season bonus of afternoons at the beach and evenings on the patio, munching on sweet corn and hotdogs. There will be time enough for hoodies and thermal underwear when winter finally hits – and it will, in some form; for now, we can continue to enjoy sandals and short sleeves.
Perhaps we could squeeze in a little conversation about how to keep cool as our earth gets hotter.
Heat can, and does kill. According the World Resources Institute website, heat is killing an average of a half-million people most years, and causing severe health problems for many more. The World Health Organization estimates heat-related deaths will increase by 50 per cent by 2050.
The World Resources Institute notes that people in developing countries, primarily in South Asia, Africa and East Asia, who have contributed the least to causing climate change, and have the fewest resources to adapt, are impacted the most.
We see a reflection of that here – poorer neighbourhoods, with worse infrastructure and less access to green space, are measurably hotter. These neighbourhoods have a lot of hard, dark surfaces that absorb heat, creating heat islands.
The best way to cool things down is with vegetation, especially trees. Using solar-reflective building materials can also help a lot.
Some cities are implementing tree planting programs, and investing in green corridors to address heat. Does it work? In three years, Medellin, Colombia has reduced its heat island temperature by two degrees Celsius (World Resources Institute).
Efforts in other countries include painting roofs white, which reflects solar heat away from the ground.
The technologies that are being used effectively in various parts of the world to reduce heat islands, are available, relatively inexpensive, and do not contribute to further climate change, unlike air conditioning, which continues to be our go-to in surviving the dog days of summer.
We have been lucky.
The CBC quoted a Statistics Canada study that stated the week-long heat dome in British Columbia caused more than 600 heat-related deaths. In general, heat waves are linked to higher mortality rates, especially in cities.
The human body works most efficiently in moderate temperatures. Perspiration is the body’s way of cooling itself, but at a certain point, it is ineffective and one’s body temperature rises. An increase of only a few degrees can cause shock, multiple organ failure and death.
Most vulnerable are – as always – the elderly, the disabled, the poor and those who live alone.
Air conditioning is a very expensive coping mechanism, both in terms of financial cost and its impact on the environment.
Perhaps it is time to take a lesson from less affluent countries and learn to cope with heat in ways that are both affordable and good for the environment, starting with vegetation.
Green spaces in urban areas are no longer optional – they are necessary for survival. This includes everything from nicely-treed parks to miniscule garden plots and decorative plants on the balcony.
White rooftops and greater use of heat-reflecting building materials would be additional steps in the right direction.
Climate change, so far, has been kind, at least to most of us. We may be a long way from having alligators basking on the banks of the Saugeen and Maitland, but we already have life-threatening heat events. We not only can, but must deal with them. The best time to start? Now.
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Pauline Kerr is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Midwestern Newspapers. She can be reached at pkerr@midwesternnewspapers.com.
