We’re sure you’ve noticed these last few weeks have made for an especially uncomfortable summer in NYC, the rest of the country, and all over the world. Make no mistake, skyrocketing global temperatures are a result of the climate crisis, and we can expect these extreme weather conditions to worsen.
So, here at Team AOC, we want to make sure you know how to stay safe this summer from heat stroke and other health effects of heat:
Get creative with hydration.
It doesn’t just have to be water! Juices and electrolyte-infused drinks will help replace some of the energy lost in your sweat. You can even add DIY electrolytes to your beverages at home with this recipe from 350.org: Mix together:
If you don’t have A/C, cover your windows with curtains or sheets – better yet, damp sheets.
The curtains will block the sun’s rays from further heating up your home, and the moisture in the fabric will cool down whatever air is flowing in from outside. This is an important tip from heat wave researcher Gulrez Shah Azhar — who grew up in Uttar Pradesh, India without A/C — in an article for NPR (read more here).
Mist yourself with cool water, or place a wet towel around the back of your neck.
Azhar also attests to how important it is to lower the temperature of your skin with moisture and breezes whenever possible. Soaking your feet in cool water will help lower that temp too!
Check on your neighbors.
Are the elders and unhoused in your neighborhood struggling to keep themselves cool? Post these tips in your lobby and knock on your neighbors’ doors to check in. Offer water and damp towels to the unhoused. Communities keep each other safe!
Keep the larger climate fight in mind.
If corporations and establishment politicians are going to continue to prioritize profit over protecting vulnerable communities, it’s up to us to educate and protect our neighbors from the dangers of extreme heat - which we know disproportionately affects lower-income communities and marginalized people.
It’s no secret as to why portions of The Bronx have the highest rates of childhood asthma in the country. As temperatures climb and air quality suffers, we have to stick together to fight these devastating health outcomes.
The climate crisis may be global, but Alexandria firmly believes that coordinated action at a local level is the best community protection money can’t buy.
Stay cool,
Team AOC
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