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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBoiling point: in Tucson, not everyone is equal in the face of heat Environment As summers get mor
As summers get more intense, people who work outdoors, those on a low income and the elderly face imminent peril
To live in Tucson is to be exposed. The Arizona city unfolds beneath four mountain ranges and a gaping sky, welcoming relentless sunlight. Anything here can be sun-bleached billboards, garden hoses, family photos near windows, laundry left out to dry. Most of the year its a dry heat, and sweat evaporates off skin faster than its produced.
Summertime is different. In monsoon season, heat and humidity steadily increase until a storm breaks. There is no other release. Heat cannot exit from the body, creating a claustrophobic feeling inside the skin. Sweat becomes a vital sign its absence indicates heatstroke.
Not all Tucsonans stand equal in the face of heat. If youre lucky enough to have an office job and a robust air conditioning system, your discomfort will be limited to the walk through a parking lot. But as summers get more intense, people who work outdoors, those on a low income and the elderly face imminent peril.
John Soland, a salesman at a cooler parts store, sees people come in for parts and for shelter. We had a guy that passed away under a tree in front of Walgreens from the heat just a couple weeks ago, he says. I saw him every day. Id hand him cups of water. He just laid down and passed away.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/31/tucson-heat-inequality-summer
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)The thermometer hit 95 in mid-May, the heat wave continues, now with added humidity, and I find I cannot tolerate even walking down the drive to the mailbox. Used to bound around, go shopping, etc during hot summer days.
Now I stay in the cool house with rare exceptions. but a lot of people in the area do not have A/C or cannot afford to run it at a comfortable low enough temp.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,746 posts)As an adult I lived in Phoenix four years.
I have always hated heat. And those who are smug because they live in Phoenix or Tucson or southern Florida and therefore avoid winter, well guess what? You get the increasingly hot summers and hurricanes and honestly, I have no sympathy for you.
Coventina
(26,846 posts)I hate it here. I'd move in a heartbeat if I could, but I can't.
So take your judgmental attitude and shove it.
Ptah
(32,983 posts)I have always hated cold. And those who are smug because they live in Minnesota or Maine and therefore avoid summer, well guess what? You get the increasingly cold winters and blizzards and honestly, I have sympathy for you.