<story><title>In the &apos;90s I survived summers in Egypt with no AC. How would it feel now?</title><url>https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/08/27/1195966057/comic-in-the-90s-i-survived-summers-in-egypt-with-no-ac-how-would-it-feel-now</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>dj_mc_merlin</author><text>Yep, creating draft to cool down is a big one. The problem becomes that if you do that at night, you&amp;#x27;re going to have a million mosquitos invading your room. So it&amp;#x27;s death by heat or mosquito.&lt;p&gt;(I chose mosquito since at least I can sleep with them buzzing around.)&lt;p&gt;edit: planning on getting insect screens soon. Thanks for comments pushing me to.</text></item><item><author>capableweb</author><text>&amp;gt; What good alternatives are there to AC, however? The comic gives:&lt;p&gt;Create a natural flow by opening windows and doors, so at least you get a breeze. Cool lots of ice during the night and use it for cold drinks during the day. If you have any outdoor space, have a little temporary pool that is always in shadow.</text></item><item><author>dj_mc_merlin</author><text>Currently living with no AC in a very hot climate for the first time in a long time, and I&amp;#x27;d forgotten how horrible it can be to not be able to escape the heat. During the day it&amp;#x27;s hard to concentrate, and at night it&amp;#x27;s hard to sleep.&lt;p&gt;What good alternatives are there to AC, however? The comic gives:&lt;p&gt;* Building buildings with less reflective materials.. there&amp;#x27;s almost none here and it&amp;#x27;s still damn hot. Obviously the concrete traps heat but I don&amp;#x27;t really see us not using concrete anymore.&lt;p&gt;* Planting trees for shade. Plenty of trees here, doesn&amp;#x27;t stop it from being hot as hell inside.&lt;p&gt;* A system for getting out of the way of a heat wave.. which from experience, no one would actually use. The biggest deaths from heat waves here happen since older people insist on going to stores etc. during the day, and predictably faint on the street and die. This is completely preventable already -- they&amp;#x27;re not gonna use the system.&lt;p&gt;* Growing plants on top of buildings. Maybe this will help? I don&amp;#x27;t know enough to say.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>gretch</author><text>Perhaps also get some screens for windows. Very common in the US even in areas with low mosquitos</text></comment>
<story><title>In the &apos;90s I survived summers in Egypt with no AC. How would it feel now?</title><url>https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/08/27/1195966057/comic-in-the-90s-i-survived-summers-in-egypt-with-no-ac-how-would-it-feel-now</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>dj_mc_merlin</author><text>Yep, creating draft to cool down is a big one. The problem becomes that if you do that at night, you&amp;#x27;re going to have a million mosquitos invading your room. So it&amp;#x27;s death by heat or mosquito.&lt;p&gt;(I chose mosquito since at least I can sleep with them buzzing around.)&lt;p&gt;edit: planning on getting insect screens soon. Thanks for comments pushing me to.</text></item><item><author>capableweb</author><text>&amp;gt; What good alternatives are there to AC, however? The comic gives:&lt;p&gt;Create a natural flow by opening windows and doors, so at least you get a breeze. Cool lots of ice during the night and use it for cold drinks during the day. If you have any outdoor space, have a little temporary pool that is always in shadow.</text></item><item><author>dj_mc_merlin</author><text>Currently living with no AC in a very hot climate for the first time in a long time, and I&amp;#x27;d forgotten how horrible it can be to not be able to escape the heat. During the day it&amp;#x27;s hard to concentrate, and at night it&amp;#x27;s hard to sleep.&lt;p&gt;What good alternatives are there to AC, however? The comic gives:&lt;p&gt;* Building buildings with less reflective materials.. there&amp;#x27;s almost none here and it&amp;#x27;s still damn hot. Obviously the concrete traps heat but I don&amp;#x27;t really see us not using concrete anymore.&lt;p&gt;* Planting trees for shade. Plenty of trees here, doesn&amp;#x27;t stop it from being hot as hell inside.&lt;p&gt;* A system for getting out of the way of a heat wave.. which from experience, no one would actually use. The biggest deaths from heat waves here happen since older people insist on going to stores etc. during the day, and predictably faint on the street and die. This is completely preventable already -- they&amp;#x27;re not gonna use the system.&lt;p&gt;* Growing plants on top of buildings. Maybe this will help? I don&amp;#x27;t know enough to say.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>code_duck</author><text>Several years ago I knew an epidemiologist who studied elephantiasis in Egypt. It is acquired by living in unscreened house and being bit by mosquitoes hundreds of times each night. Victims end up in truly awful situations like having to transport their testicles in a wheelbarrow. Completely serious.</text></comment>