THE DESERT HEAT HITS EUROPE – COPING WITH THE CLIMATE

HOT HOT HOT

Extreme climatic conditions is the top subject all over the world currently.  Here at the lowest place on earth it is normally hot in the summer months.  We have all got used to it and know how to cope with the effect of the heat on our every day lives.  But what is being said these days is that what happens here concerning the climate is a learning curve for Europe for the future.  Life will get hotter all over the world.  We have a lot to give to the world with regard to organizing your world in readiness for the future.  Here are a few things that we do every day that will be strange to you but, of course, normal for us.

1. Air conditioning in every room –  A MUST!
2. Bottled water in the fridge, or other means of ‘on tap’ cold water.  DRINK, DRINK, DRINK is the key to good health.
3. Hats, caps and bonnets (ha ha) are the best protection for your hair, skin, eyes and face.  DRY SKIN CAN CAUSE EVEN MORE WRINKLES
4. SPF 50 sun protection – VITAL!

These are the basic requirements for keeping healthy, happy and safe throughout the months of high temperatures.  Nothing new, I know, but does no harm to remind ourselves now and then to be careful.

Here are a few tips that you may NEVER have thought of and for us standard practice!

1. Lipsticks and batteries are kept in the fridge – otherwise the lipstick melts and the batteries life is reduced by 50%.
2. Always have to wear footwear – the ground gets to be so very hot that barefooted people can get burns on the soles of their feet.  Even some pet’s paws,  that are used to cooler weather, can suffer from the ground heat.  Pets need to be watched carefully in this kind of heat.  Their paws can burn on the hot pavements so first of try and walk them on grass or leafy lanes alternatively to avoid injury you could keep the pads moisturised with Vaseline or similar which will prevent cracking, peeling and minor pad cuts.  This will undoubtedly preserve the longevity of your pets paws.
3. A shield on the windscreen of the car at the end of every journey.  When a car is left in extreme heat the steering wheel can be hot to the touch making it difficult to drive in the first few minutes.  BUT, worse than that the buckles of the seat belts can be SCORCHING , getting into a hot vehicle is opressing and it takes time until the car cools down but handling the metal bits of the seatbelts is especially difficult for children.  Try and cool the car down before everyone gets in, I expect this works with cold weather too, heat the car up before everyone gets in!
4. Bicycle/Motorcycle/scooter seats should be covered with a towel or blanket.  The plastic seat covers heat up and are impossible to sit on without protection.  Anyone wearing ‘hotpants’, (that shows you how old I am!!!) will burn the backs of their legs on the seats.
5. Always have a small handtowel at the ready.  The humidity can be unbearable as it makes the temperature feel higher than it really is.  Here at about 40 degrees C it will feel like 46 degrees because of the humidity.  This is also a new phenomena here at the Dead Sea, over the years the dry heat was bearable but with new levels of humidity it makes life difficult to negotiate.  However, there are air con units in almost every corner of every building so we sweat, perspire or glow outside and cool down inside.
6. Those of you who love to run, cycle or even walk for exercise purposes will have to get up earlier in order to miss the heat of the day.  Extreme heat makes for uncomfortable exertion.
7. Gardens, potted plants, need to be attended to on a more regular basis.  Every day a watering can needs to be filled in order to refresh the wilting leaves and thirsty roots.

So, for those of you who are experiencing, or have experienced this year, temperatures over and above those you are used to, take heed, we are headed for drastic changes in our everyday lives.  Now is the time to take climate change very seriously and every little that you can do in your home and lifestyle will definitely help.