Every summer brings a new slew of headlines about record-breaking temperatures—and for good reason: 2023 is the hottest year on record, consistent with an upward trend that scientists have been documenting for decades.
With climate projections suggesting that heat waves will only become more frequent and severe in the future, it is becoming increasingly clear that in addition to eliminating climate-warming pollution, the world will need new ways to adapt to high temperatures.
Heat waves pose serious (and costly) public health risks because extreme heat can lead to heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heat exhaustion, as well as worsen chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
Increased collective communication will not solve this growing threat. While air conditioning is still needed in many situations to protect people's health, for those who cannot afford higher electricity bills, relying solely on air conditioning will become even less feasible than it is now. What's more, traditional air conditioning systems and units are major climate culprits, accounting for about 10% of the world's electricity consumption and emissions that account for about 4% of annual climate warming.
The good news is that people are working hard to find alternatives. From wrapping a bridge in tinfoil to feeding popsicles to zoo animals to allocating millions of dollars to awards for developing affordable and climate-friendly cooling solutions, it's safe to say people are playing a role in the effort to combat the heat. of creativity.
In honor of creative problem-solving everywhere, we've rounded up some interesting solutions that could help communities adapt to a hotter world.
Retroreflective pavement could help future cities reflect heat back into space
In a recent modeling study, scientists found that city sidewalks and building walls can reduce surface temperatures by up to 36 °F (20 °C) ), lowering ambient air temperature by 5°F (2.6 °C) and cooling human skin by nearly 1°F (0.55 °C). The idea is to channel sunlight away from the asphalt and back into the atmosphere, thereby cooling the urban heat islands that plague modern cities.
Retroreflective materials have been widely used in road signs and markings. So cities like Los Angeles, Madrid, Mumbai and New York might one day deploy the technology to help residents stay cool.
Solutions you can wear
A Public Citizen report found that heat causes as many as 170,000 workplace injuries each year. Especially for outdoor workers, actively insulating clothing can be an important first line of defense against heat-related illness.
So it's encouraging to see that wearable cooling technology is a hot area of innovation, including vests that cool body temperature by absorbing moisture and slowly releasing it over time. Others have developed stickers that measure body temperature and polyester clothing that reflects 90% of the sun's heat.
An interesting luminary? The clothing is inspired by nature's shade-givers, including a heat-tolerant species called the Saharan silver ant. These advanced textiles have pyramid-like structures embedded in the fabric that deflect sunlight, creating a cooling system you could one day wear – if the technology ever hits the market.
Electrical-free cooling using nature-inspired materials (and more)
Inspired by the natural cooling properties of camel hair, researchers have developed innovative materials that can help food and medicine stay cool without the need for electricity. These futuristic and currently cost-prohibitive materials mimic the way camel hair insulates, trapping cold air close to the body, retaining moisture while blocking outside heat, even under the hot desert sun. This is just one of the more bizarre examples of promising electroless cooling solutions.
Other electricity-free cooling solutions already in commercial use include cool roofs with reflective white paint, which reflects sunlight away from surfaces, and passive design strategies, which use natural light, ventilation and insulation to keep buildings cool in the summer. .
Using water features and wind corridors to cool cities
Cities can incorporate natural elements such as water and wind into their designs to create cooler, more livable urban spaces. Incorporating water features such as fountains, lakes and reflecting pools into urban landscapes can help cities beat the heat.
In addition, strategically designed wind corridors can increase airflow by helping bring cooler air from outside the city to replace warm, stagnant air and increase natural ventilation along specific routes. Many U.S. cities already have open spaces that help promote cool air, such as New York's Central Park and Dallas' Klyde Warren Park, but researchers say the concept of wind corridors could be more purposefully incorporated into future city planning .
Back to our roots…with trees
Sometimes the best solution isn't the latest. Planting trees and other vegetation remains one of our strongest defenses against rising temperatures.
Trees and green spaces help cool cities by providing shade, thereby reducing the amount of heat absorbed by buildings and streets. They also cool the air by releasing water vapor through evapotranspiration. Additionally, by replacing heat-trapping surfaces with lush greenery, trees help combat the urban heat island effect, making cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix and Atlanta more comfortable.
Turn ideas into action for a cooler, more resilient future
As temperatures rise, so do the risks of an effective cooling solution. But we have ingenuity, from bionic clothing and reflective pavements to nature-based cooling. Now we just need to have the discipline to put these great ideas into action to sustainably combat extreme heat.
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