Hot Town, Summer in the City!

A Level 4 'red' alert (a risk to life) for heat has been issued for the first time in the UK. Record temperatures are predicted over much of central and southern England on the 18th and 19th of July. There is even a possibility that a temperature of 40 degrees Centigrade will be reached for the first time (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/15/heat-emergency-declared-in-england-as-temperature-expected-to-hit-40c). This type of event in the UK will become more intense, as well as being more frequent, with climate change. The effects of global heating are, however, much more problematic in other areas of the globe (including currently in southern Europe). The English response has been a stampede to buy rose wine, fans and ice-cream (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jul/15/heatwave-britons-red-alert-fans-rose-wine-ice-cream-sales). This is not exactly following the take home message for the red alert. Rose wine can be very welcome but all alcoholic beverages, dehydrate. Fans may have a useful cooling effect but they consume electricity, adding to 'greenhouse gas' emissions and more climate change. Ice-cream could simply make you fat. What people should be concentrating on are a) staying out of the sun, if at all possible, at the hottest times of the day; b) wearing a hat outside; c) laying off the Lycra (wearing loose clothing); d) using appropriate sunblock; e) keeping well-hydrated with water and f) checking the young, the elderly and pets, at regular intervals.