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squeeful:

direwolfblackrose:

prismatic-bell:

AN IMPORTANT PSA.

I’ve been meaning to post this for two days but ADHD happened, and now it’s April 1st meaning half this site will think I’m just playing, but please know I am not just playing and I’m posting today because otherwise I will forget again, in my heart and intentions it is 30 March and I would appreciate you reblogging this.

FOR MY FRIENDS IN THE PNW, THE UK, AND MEDITERRANEAN EUROPE: we’ve heard a lot these last few years about y'all’s stupid-hot heat waves that are. Not supposed to happen. And unfortunately, it seems very likely that will happen again this year.

So as a desert dweller, I am asking you to do the following NOW:

–start looking into buying fans and/or air conditioners.

–if you live in an area where the water isn’t good to drink, start picking up two gallons per week per person who lives in your household. (For those not in the US: whatever the measurement is that you’re expected to drink in a day, double it, per person.) You don’t need to stock for the apocalypse, but you doneed to assume that potable water will sell out quickly and may be in short supply. The goal here is to have a week’s worth of potable water–keep in mind “a week” here means “what you’d normally drink in two weeks”–in case your supply chain breaks down.

–have your windows and doors checked. Shitty windows can wreck your heating bill in winter, too, so it’s a good idea either way.

–pick up heat-reflecting window film. Apply it as weather starts getting warmer, but before it’s ready to kick your ass.

–if most of your wardrobe is geared toward cold weather, start picking up shorts and tee-shirts or tank tops. Try to purchase these items in cotton. Avoid polyester or synthetic fabrics.

–do some extra cooking of things you can easily freeze and quickly reheat. Choose items that can be served cold or pair well with cold things (keep in mind when those temps hit you won’t feel like putting anythinghot in your body). If you enjoy sandwich fillings that can be frozen, start stocking up. Again, this is not apocalypse/prepper-type stocking, so you don’t need to worry about shelf stability or use-by dates; this is “if you do it now, you won’t have to heat up your kitchen then.” Aim to have 10-14 days’ worth of meals.

–start stocking up on whatever kind of electrolyte drink or sports drink you personally enjoy. (I’d say Gatorade, but I have no idea if that’s global.) Aim to have enough to have two of them per day.

–this might be a UK thing, but I specifically heard from an astonishing number of people last year that they did not have ice cube trays. Pick some up now if you don’t have them. (IKEA has some really nice silicone ones.) And don’t whine at me that you don’t want to add extra water to your juice or sports drink–the cool thing is that you can make any liquid into ice, so yes, totally make apple juice ice cubes for your apple juice, or whatever.For that matter, you can stick your tray full of flavored liquid into the freezer, wait about 20 minutes, pop some toothpicks in as handles and have mini-popsicles when it’s hot!

By doing these things now you will be prepared when summer hits, plus you’ll be more likely to be able to get these items and you’ll help to ease the strain on the supply chain down the road.

Summer is coming. I’m sorry it has to be this way. But please protect yourselves. The best way you can do that is by starting now.

Also:

*lightcolour clothing, trust me you’ll feel the difference between a dark blue or a light blue t-shirt. Also, loose clothing, not snug.

*bed sheets can either save you or doom you. Like clothing try to avoid polyester or synthetic fabrics, and try to find linen or cotton ones. (linen is best, but it’s also expensive)

*apparently not everyone has shaded blinds, try to get some if you can (goal is to have gaps where air flow can get in and do its work but not enough gap for sunshine to get in and turn the house in an oven)

* if you’re on medscheck the side effects for heat

* if you’re on medsand don’t need a prescription stock up, you’ll want to go have some wiggle room in case the pharmacy only opens at hot-o'clock

*if you don’t have one already get one of those thermal water bottles (type that keeps both hot and cold). In winter price sky-rocket bc they keep heat, in summer the price sky-rocket bc they keep cold. Now’s the time (or in autumn but that’s too late for the heat)

* pick a supermarket and go ask if they can hold a case of water in the freezer for you. Do it beforethe hot season. They might still say no but it’s easier for them to say yes before it’s hot and then keep doing it rather than say yes when everyone is asking.

*sun cream prices go up here in summer, buy it before the heat starts. You’ll need it.

not prep but still useful:

drink 1/3-½ of a water bottle then put it in the freezer sideways, that way it’s 1. freeze more quickly, 2. cool better when you add water afterwards , and 3. not break the plastic bottle bc it’s full/not make a geyser of cold water when you open it.

look up the symptoms for heat fatigue and heat stroke, for humans, dogs and cats.

sun cream goes on all exposed skin (with the exception of lips and eyelids). You have a shaved/bald head/bald spot? Sun cream there too (and a hat). You have sock-less sandals? Sun cream there. Crop top? Sun cream. You’re sun tanning and the bottom of your feet are in the light? Guess what Sun cream there too. It is not a suggestion.

sun cream’s spf(sun protection factor) doesNOTtell you howmuchit protects you, it tells you how LONGit protects you for. A spf 10 will protect you as much as a spf 20 but for half the time. Apply more frequently. In any case re-apply every 2 hours.

You can get sunburned even if you’re already tanned. Use sun cream.

Tangotten on the beach, in the city, in the mountains, or at a lake are different. They look different and they don’t cover each other. “Oh, but I’ve spent all summer on the beach I’m already tanned I don’t need sun cream for lake/mountain/whatever is not a beach” NO. You WILL get sunburned again. Use sun cream.

I do not care what colour your skin is, sun cream protects you from UVB rays which will affect you no matter what. Use sun cream, you don’t want skin cancer.

most sun creams protects you only from UVB rays NOTUVA rays. Unless specified on the bottle assume you’re not protected from UVA rays.

Stay out of the sun between 10 am a 4 pm (10:00-16:00).

Windows will have a sun-effect even if you don’t feel the heat, beware windshields.

Wear sun cream.

It sounds counter-intuitive, but cover up. Wear loose, natural fiber long sleeves and pants/skirts.

Use more sunscreen than you think. It’s not moisturizer, you want to really slather it on

Get a handkerchief or bandana just a strip of fabric, wet it, wrap it around your neck. Presto, brain AC

If you’re like me and heat makes you lose appetite, figure out what meals taste good cold

Apple juice can substitute for gatorade if you can’t take how much salt sports drinks have.

Drink more water.

No really. More than what you’re thinking. Don’t drink all your water at once. You won’t hydrate, you’ll just flush your kidneys. You want a steady intake.

If you’re working outside, at least 16oz per hour, preferably more.

Sleep under a damp-wet towel

Anything you can put in a smoothie, put it in a smoothie. As someone who lives in a place where it regularly gets to and stays in the triple digits during the summer, I subsist off smoothies. Put protein powder in, whatever. If that’s the only thing you can get down, it is what it is.

It might be a good idea to invest in a toaster oven. Mine is a gdsend during the summer because it allows me to do broil, bake, toast, whatever I need to do *without heating up the house.*

Long time, no personal posts; me yesterday hanging out with my nephew (sisters bearded dragon).

Still alive, by some miracle.