Tips to Stay Cool

Summary

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All Of It – “Tips to Stay Cool”

Host: Kusha Navadar (filling in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Annie Colbert, Editor in Chief of Popular Science
Date: June 20, 2024

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Episode Overview

On the first day of summer and under a looming heat advisory in the New York Tri-State area, “All Of It” focuses on practical, science-backed ways to beat extreme heat. With temperatures set to soar into the 90s and humidity rising, the show crowdsources listener strategies, dives into the science of heatwaves, and shares actionable tips for staying cool. Annie Colbert from Popular Science joins as the expert guest.

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Key Topics & Insights

1. Understanding Extreme Heat

[04:24–07:18]

• Heat Wave vs. Heat Dome:

  • Annie explains that a heat wave involves high-pressure systems pushing warm air toward the ground, causing sustained high temperatures. Currently, we’re under a “heat dome”—like “putting a lid on a pot”—trapping heat and preventing cooler systems from moving in.
  • “You’re just stuck in this heat and it won’t break.” —Annie Colbert [05:45]

• Climate Change’s Role:

  • Greenhouse gases act like a blanket, trapping the sun’s warmth and intensifying these events.

2. Listener Tips for Beating the Heat

[07:18–22:34]

• Covering Up Works:

  • Kat in Puerto Rico reports that full-coverage SPF clothing, like a hoodie with thumb holes, actually keeps her cooler and prevents sunburn—plus, sunscreen itself can trap heat.
    • “The hotter it gets, the more clothes I wear… I’m much cooler with that on than I am without it on.” —Kat [07:39]
  • Annie backs this up: Loose cotton/linen for lounging; moisture-wicking for activity. Clothing needs to breathe; experiment for personal comfort.

• DIY Backyard Cool-Tub Office:

  • Stefan in Brooklyn keeps a tub in his backyard filled with cold water, working from ‘home spa’ with a plank for his computer.
    • “I can just go out there, put a plank across it and put my computer on there and work in some cool water.” —Stefan [09:23]

• Frequent Cool (Not Cold) Showers & Fans:

  • Sally on the Upper West Side skips towels after cool (not cold!) showers to air-dry and swears by strategically placed fans, especially with night breezes.
    • “Moving air… makes all the difference in the world. It doesn’t have to be cold, it’s just moving air.” —Sally [10:11]
  • Annie’s science: Fans only work up to about 95°F (35°C); above that, they merely move hot air. Don’t make showers too cold (shivering = body working to warm you up).

• Mental Strategies:

  • Nancy from Dover, NJ gardens at night and watches ice-filled movies like “Dr. Zhivago” or “Ice Station Zebra” for psychological cooling.
    • “Going to those cold environs in your mind helps you cool down.” —Nancy [17:42]

• Air Circulation in Cars:

  • Kevin in Denver uses a small clamp fan in his car rather than air conditioning to save energy. Annie highlights sunshades and window venting to expel heat quickly.
    • “I don’t use the air conditioning anymore, man. I just turn this little fan on, and it’s fabulous.” —Kevin [20:02]

• Dog-Paw Safety:

  • David on the Upper West Side warns that pavement can be much hotter than air; dogs release heat through their paws, so test pavement with your hand and cool paws in water after walks.
    • “It’s all about the paws… if it’s uncomfortable for you, it’s not safe for the dog.” —David [22:34]

• Ice Packs & Vests; Fans in Every Room:

  • Listeners recommend ice vests and ice packs with fabric covers in bed, and maintaining a fan in each space.

• Hand Fans & Personal Fans:

  • Referencing the cultural legacy of hand fans, with a note to use them delicately (“One must learn to use it in a delicate way that won’t create more body heat.”)
  • Annie uses a small battery-powered stroller fan for her baby [21:49].

• Nudity in the Privacy of Home:

  • Listener’s text: “Nudity…the easiest way to stay cool in the privacy of your home.” [27:05]

3. Practical Science and Misconceptions

[11:28–19:29; 24:26–26:46]

• Direction of Fans:

  • Listener debate: Pointing fans out to push hot air or inwards to pull in cool air? Sally just goes for whichever moves air over her.

• How Our Bodies Cool:

  • Sweating: Evaporation cools us; increased blood flow to skin.
  • Heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke:
    • Exhaustion: Dizzy, sweating, thirsty – fix with shade/cool spot.
    • Stroke: Not sweating, red skin, loss of consciousness – medical emergency.

• SPF Clothing Lifespan:

  • Annie: Check manufacturer care tags; SPF effectiveness can weaken with washing and time. Use sunscreen as backup.

• Color Matters:

  • Darker colors absorb more heat (so lighter is better if not using SPF).

• Cold Foods and Drinks:

  • Myth: Eating ice cream or popsicles effectively cools you; effect is short-lived because your body quickly heats food to body temperature, burning calories and potentially making you warmer.
    • “You’re probably better off taking that popsicle, putting it on your neck, putting it on your armpit, and then by all means, eat it.” —Annie Colbert [25:53]

• Eat Hydrating Foods:

  • Favor watermelon, cucumbers, or other foods high in water content.

4. Environmental Considerations

[24:26–26:46]

• The A/C Vicious Cycle:

  • As the world warms (climate change), air conditioning demand rises, which increases carbon emissions, causing more warming—“a vicious cycle.”
  • Annie mentions Popular Science’s focus on covering sustainable cooling and energy tech—watch for innovative “Best of What’s New” solutions in their year-end coverage.

• Bad-for-the-Earth Cooling Habits:

  • Air conditioning is the biggest culprit; encourage using shade, fans, timing activity for cooler periods.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “The fabric you choose should be based on the activity that you’re doing… cotton or linen, more of a natural fabric… if you are being a little bit more active, moisture-wicking fabrics.” —Annie Colbert [08:30]
• “When your inside temperature hits about 95 degrees, your fan’s not going to do a lot.” —Annie Colbert [12:33]
• “One key difference when you’re experiencing heat stroke is that you’re not sweating… when you’re experiencing heat stroke, your skin is going to turn very red and you may lose consciousness.” —Annie Colbert [14:36]

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Major Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Highlight | |------------|---------------------------------------------| | 01:17 | Show intro, outline of episode | | 04:24 | Annie Colbert joins, cooling strategies | | 05:45 | Science of heat domes/climate change | | 07:39 | Listener: Full coverage clothing tip | | 09:23 | Listener: Backyard tub “office” | | 10:11 | Listener: Fans and cool showers | | 12:33 | How fans really work & their temperature limit| | 13:44 | Heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke | | 17:42 | Listener: Cooling through imagination (cold movies) | | 18:25 | SPF clothing lifespan question | | 20:02 | Listener: Car clamp fan instead of A/C | | 22:34 | Listener: Dog paw safety and pavement temps | | 24:26 | Ice vests, air conditioners, cooling myths | | 25:53 | Ice cream/popsicles: why they don’t work | | 27:05 | Listener: “Nudity” as the ultimate tip |

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Concluding Notes

The episode delivers a vibrant, listener-driven guide to keeping cool, blending personal ingenuity, science, and a dash of humor. Cover up (with the right fabric), move the air (but know when fans stop helping), keep hydrated (don’t trust ice cream!), and get creative—sometimes the coolest solutions are psychological or communal.

Above all, as Annie says, sustainable innovation will be key for long-term adaptation to hotter summers.

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End of summary.

Transcript

[Kusha Navadar]

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[Caller/Listener]

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[Annie Colbert]

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[Caller/Listener]

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[Kusha Navadar]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years now.

[Caller/Listener]

It's back.

[Kusha Navadar]

We need snack wraps.

[Annie Colbert]

What's a snack wrap?

[Kusha Navadar]

It's the return of something great.

[Caller/Listener]

Snack wrap is back.

[Annie Colbert]

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[Kusha Navadar]

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[Annie Colbert]

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[Kusha Navadar]

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[Annie Colbert]

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[Kusha Navadar]

Suffering from dry, tired, irritated eyes? Don't let dry eyes win. Use Sustain Pro. It hydrates, restores and protects dry eyes for up to 12 hours. Sustain Pro Triple Action Dry Eye Relief Listener Support WNYC Studios this is all of it. I'm Kusha Navadar in for Alice in Stewart. Happy first day of summer everyone. I hope you're listening to us somewhere in a cool and shady place. On today's show we've got singer, songwriter, Medium Build who's joining us for a listening party for his latest album. It's called Country. Katherine Lewin is here to help us plan for all of our summer soirees. Her new cookbook is called Big Night Dinners, Parties and Dinner Parties. She'll join us to discuss and we'll take your calls and questions. Plus, we're going to learn about the biggest soccer tournament you probably never heard of. It's Coppa 70 Copa 71. It's an unsanctioned Women's World Cup. That's the plan. So let's get this started with tips to beat the heat. So like I said, it's the first day of summer. Happy first day of summer. And if you're listening in the New York Tri state area, you don't need me to tell you that it is a hot one. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory with an excessive heat watch in a effect that's starting tomorrow when temperatures are expected to get up in the 90s with some very high humidity. And so we wanted to kick off today's show with some news you can use. We're going to talk about extreme heat and some of the ways you all have settled on to stay safe and comfortable amid the heat of this summer. And listeners, we're crowdsourcing some ways to beat the heat. So call in and tell us your tips and tricks. Maybe you keep a wet bandana in the fridge for when you're going to head outside, or maybe you've got a portable fan that works really well for you, or are there any other strategies that you use to keep cool? Give us a call, send us a text. We're at 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. You know, or maybe for you, there's a, there's a mindset you have, like in an image that you hold onto that reminds you of colder times or, or maybe you change your walking route so you make sure that you hit up all the stores that have the best air conditioning on your way home. Give us a call sign. Send us a text. We're at 212-433-9692. Tell us how you're adapting to the weather. 212-433-WNYC. And joining me now to help take those calls, please welcome Annie Colbert, who is the editor in chief of Popular Science to talk about the science of temperature and extreme heat and to explain how some of these strategies actually work. Annie, hey, thanks for coming on today.

[Annie Colbert]

Thank you so much for having me. It is very hot out.

[Kusha Navadar]

It is. How are you? What are you doing to beat the heat?

[Annie Colbert]

You know, I have a few tricks that I've employed for a long time of traveling on the New York City subway. You know, I'm obviously trying to stay inside, stay in air conditioning. But one of my favorite things to do is to fill a water bottle with ice. And that cold condensation, just like putting it on your neck, putting it on your wrists as like you sit there just waiting for the subway to come in that stale air. I find that to be very helpful.

[Kusha Navadar]

That is very helpful. Is there a specific kind of water bottle that you like to use, like glass versus Nalgene versus plastic?

[Annie Colbert]

I like a metal one that's like not too much of a thick metal. It's kind of thin metal. So that condensation that like cool water is going to come out of it and you can really place it on the areas of your body where it's going to help you cool down a little bit faster.

[Kusha Navadar]

Andy Colbert, you are coming out swinging with good tips. That's a great tip.

[Annie Colbert]

I am a very sweaty person, so I have a lot of exc. Experience trying to cool down.

[Kusha Navadar]

We have that in common. And so I need to go out and get myself, like, maybe an aluminum water bottle or something. Listeners, are you a fan of the metallic water bottle with ice in it? Give us a call, send us a text. We're at 212-433-9692. Annie, can you share a little bit about what you understand about the current bout of heat that that's. That's getting underway?

[Annie Colbert]

Yeah. So a heat wave. The basic way to understand a heat wave is its way when high pressure in the atmosphere moves in and it's pushing all of this warm air towards the ground. So you're just stuck in this heat. And it's when that temperature is sitting at a certain temperature for a number of days, that's what we call a heat wave. But right now, we're experiencing something that's called a heat dome, which is a weather phenomenon where that heat is just trapped underneath it. The best way to think about it is like a pot on your oven that you put a lid on. So all of that heat is stuck in there. And not only is the heat stuck in there, it's preventing milder weather systems from coming in and cooling it off. So you're just kind of stuck in this heat and it won't break.

[Kusha Navadar]

Is that sense of being stuck is like the level of darkness that the air is. Is that what determines like a 70 degree day versus a very balmy, hot 90 degree day or what's the difference there in the summer?

[Annie Colbert]

Yeah. So when you're trapped under this heat, like, the heat can't move essentially. Right. So it's just like not moving out. And as we deal with the effects of climate change, where we have this increase in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, they're trapping in more of that sun's heat. It's an easy way to think about it is it's like almost having a blanket over all of us and it's trapping in all of that heat instead of being able to, like, circulate that air in and out to bring in more mild systems, and it just gets stuck. And it's very hot, it's very humid, it's very uncomfortable.

[Kusha Navadar]

It is very. All of those things. Listeners, we're here for your tips to get some very important relief from this heat. So give us a call. Send us a text. We're at 212-433-9692. We have our first caller. I'd love to talk to Kat and Rincon, Puerto Rico. Hi, Kat. Welcome to the show.

[Caller/Listener]

Hi, how are you?

[Kusha Navadar]

Good, thanks. How are you?

[Caller/Listener]

I'm calling originally from New Jersey. I've been living in Puerto Rico for about three years now. And I'm very fair skinned, Scandinavian background. And I find that in Puerto Rico, it's very, very hot. I find that the hotter it gets, the more clothes I wear. Meaning I wear a black. I wear a hoodie with thumb holes for my hands and it wicks away all of the moisture and it's an SPF and keeps the sun off. And I'm much cooler with that on than I am without it on.

[Kusha Navadar]

Oh, interesting.

[Caller/Listener]

The other thing is also people don't realize that. I'm sorry. That sunscreen is very. When you put it on your skin, it traps heat also. So that's why I wear the hoodie all the time.

[Kusha Navadar]

Kat, thank you so much for that. Annie, you know, some important pieces of clothing. Ironic that sometimes more clothing equals being cooler. Do you have any thoughts on that?

[Annie Colbert]

Yeah. So the fabric you choose should be based on the activity that you're doing. So if you are kind of lounging outside, you should wear like a cotton or a linen, more of a natural fabric and have it be loose fitting. And like Kat said, having longer sleeves that it's going to cover your skin a little bit more, that can be beneficial. But if you are being like a little bit more active, you probably are going to want to look for like moisture wicking fabrics. And it'll depend on the weave and the quality. You want to make sure you're looking into that. And there's downsides to that. It's going to trap odor. Some people just aren't comfortable with having clothing very close to their skin when it's very hot. So you kind of want to keep trying to figure out what works best for you.

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah.

[Kusha Navadar]

That. That moisture wicking fabric can be. Can be, can be a game changer. Let's go to Stefan in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Hey, Stefan. Welcome to the show.

[Caller/Listener]

Hey, how are you?

[Kusha Navadar]

Good, thanks. What's your tip?

[Caller/Listener]

I actually live in Flatbush, Brooklyn. I have a tiny little backyard, but I actually got a tub to fit in the backyard and I fill it up with cool water. And so when I work from home, I can just go out there, put a plank across it and put my computer on there and work in some cool water.

[Kusha Navadar]

Oh, wow. So you have a backyard and you have a tub. How do you fill up that cool water so quickly? Like, do you have a hose?

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah, I just have a hose that I water my garden with and just fill the tub up and let it sit for a day or two even. I just cover it up so no mosquitoes get to it. But then I'll always have my cool bath outside.

[Kusha Navadar]

Nice. That's spa treatment in your backyard. I love that.

[Caller/Listener]

That sounds fun.

[Annie Colbert]

That sounds so pleasant.

[Kusha Navadar]

That is very pleasant. Having a backyard also sounds very pleasant. Just gonna throw that out there.

[Annie Colbert]

Yes, in New York. Absolutely.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah. Staphon. Thanks. Let's go to Sally on Upper west side. Hey, Sally, welcome to the show.

[Caller/Listener]

Well, I have a follow up. If you don't have a yard, I just take frequent cool showers. No soap, just cool showers. Don't use a towel when you get out. Just let it air dry. I mean, this is great for those of us who are retired or if you work from home. And I'm a big, big proponent of fans. If I have moving air, it makes all the difference in the world. It doesn't have to be cold. It's just moving air. Sally, can I ask you that in the showers?

[Kusha Navadar]

Can I ask you something about the fans? Because this is something that I've always wondered. Are you talking about box fans that you use?

[Caller/Listener]

No, not necessarily. I do have one box fan, but they're just regular little vornado floor or, you know, windowsill fans. And I have one in the window. I have a bay window in my bedroom, which is a miracle because I get a breeze from the Hudson, and believe it or not, there almost always is a Hudson breeze at night. But I have a fan on in the window ledge and then one at the foot of my bed that I can turn on and off during the night. And then I have fans strategically placed in my living room.

[Kusha Navadar]

So I think that this is still pertinent to this question. There is always the question of when you're using fans and a window, do you point the fan out at night to suck out the hot air, or do you point the fan inwards to suck in the cool air? I never know which way to place the fan.

[Caller/Listener]

Well, I've tried both, and I end up keeping it pointed in to blow just moving air on me. I don't really pay that much attention to whether it's cooler or hotter, depending on which direction I put it. It's just the fact that it's moving air that makes all the difference. Now, mind you, I Grew up in South Florida from the time I was in third grade until I graduated from high school. No air condition, not in school, not in homes. So I've learned how to live in the heat.

[Kusha Navadar]

Sally, thank you so much for calling and for those pieces of advice. Annie, I see you want to say something.

[Annie Colbert]

I do, I want to. A couple things, what Sally said. One for showers, cool showers. Fantastic idea. But one thing you really want to be careful of is to not take a cold shower. Because once you start shivering, that's the sign that your body is trying to regain heat that's been lost. So cool is good too cold, you're going to start shivering and your body's going to start working harder. And then the other thing I wanted to talk about with fans is the way that fans work and when they're helpful is they're pushing that heat that you're generating off your body away from your body. So there's a certain temperature. Like once your inside temperature hits about 95 degrees, your fan's not going to do a lot. So remembering that it's circulating the air, just like Sally said, it's circulating that air. It's pushing all that heat that you're generating in your very hot body, it's pushing it away from you and replacing it with fresh air.

[Kusha Navadar]

This is a really interesting point because there is, there is, there's science behind the ways that our bodies respond to extreme heat. We're warm blooded, so our internal temperature is pretty consistently around 98 degrees. Do you have any sense of how extreme heat outside causes our bodies to change on the inside?

[Annie Colbert]

Yeah, I mean, when your body feels anything that's a little bit different, doesn't matter what it is, it kicks into action. Right. So you start sweating again. We were talking about being sweaters. That's your body's reaction because it is trying to cool itself through the evaporation. So as you sweat, it is evaporating and pulling that heat out. It's also, as your core temperature rises, you're going to have increased blood flow. So your heart rate's going to go up, more blood is going to get pumped to your skin so that you can release that heat. Your body is just trying to cool itself down. If it senses something is a little off, like being hot and sweaty, it's going to react.

[Kusha Navadar]

And can you go into the difference between heat stroke versus heat exhaustion? Because there does seem to be an important difference there that people will actually feel sick. And if there's any like differences in how to tackle it, if you have any sense of that?

[Annie Colbert]

Yeah. So heat exhaustion is where you're feeling a little bit dizzy. You can also feel that with heat stroke, you have like, you're going to be very thirsty. You're going to be sweating a lot. One of the key differences when you're experiencing heat stroke is that you're not sweating in part because your body's not effectively removing that heat. When you experiencing heat stroke, your skin is going to turn very red and you may lose consciousness. Your body temperature is going to go up. With heat exhaustion, you might feel a little bit nauseated. Heat exhaustion is a little bit easier to address by cooling yourself down, getting to a cool spot, getting to shade. If you're experiencing heat stroke, you want to get medical attention as soon as possible.

[Kusha Navadar]

We have a couple of texts that I want to read off before we go to break. The first one says that Kat, our first caller is absolutely right. I lived in Puerto Rico and Doha, Qatar, and there is a reason why they cover up in the Middle East. So, Kat, your first call, if you're still listening, really, really reson with some folks. And then I got another text here that says, my mom lived in Spain for many years and she turned me on to beautiful fans. Nothing saved me from hot summer subway platforms and the classroom I taught in first years than hand fans. One must learn to use it in a delicate way that won't create more body heat. It's a simple solution. Heart emoji. Thanks so much for those texts. We're listening. We're talking about heat and how hot it is and how to get some simple, effective tools to save yourself from the heat. We're talking to Annie, who is the editor in chief of Popular Science. We're going to take a quick break. When we come back, we'll take more of your calls and talk about more of the science behind what works. Stay with us. This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Kusha Navadar, and we're here with Annie Colbert, who is the editor in chief of Popular Science. We're taking your calls, listeners, about how to beat the heat and simple, effective solutions that help you in this very hot time. So give us a call. Send us a text. We're at 212-433-9692. Let's dive right into some calls. Nancy from Dover, New Jersey. Hey, Nancy. Welcome to the show.

[Caller/Listener]

Oh, hi, Kushner. So nice to speak with you and your guest. I lived most of my life, all of my life, except for the past two years, without air conditioning. So I used to do my gardening at night. That was one thing. I would go out at night and it was sort of magical. You could hear air conditioners on and just I felt like I was the only one outside gardening. And then I would come in and watch Ice station Zebra on TV or Dr. Zhivago, which I'm going to watch tonight. And I felt myself sort of transported into those scenes of blizzards and cold. And it seemed to help at least psychologically cool me off a little bit.

[Kusha Navadar]

Oh, wonderful. So going to those cold environs in your mind help you cool down. Nancy, thanks so much for that call. Really appreciate it. Let's go to another Nancy, this one from Alpine, New Jersey. Hey, Nancy, welcome to the show.

[Caller/Listener]

Hi, thank you so much for taking my call. I actually have more of a question for Annie. I like to the previous caller and texter, I'm a fan of clothing because I have very fair skin. But my question was how long does the SPF in the advertised SPF clothing really last? How many washes? How long? You know, I have a few items of clothing that I've had for years, but I'm like, how effective are they?

[Kusha Navadar]

Nancy, thanks so much. Yeah, Andy, go ahead.

[Annie Colbert]

That's going to be dependent on the quality of the fabric you're getting and how you're washing them. So I would definitely check the the tags to see like are you supposed to be treating them specially and make sure that, you know, you're not washing them on a very intense wash cycle that's going to break it down. Just to be safe, I would also add spf. Even if you have the SPF clothing and you know, clothing doesn't last forever, it does break down. So if you also have questions, I would reach out to the manufacturer or see what they say about how you should be treating that clothing to make sure it's still effective.

[Kusha Navadar]

Nancy, I have a sorry. Nancy, thank you so much for that call. Annie, I had a follow up question for you about that. Since we're talking about clothing, darker colors get hotter. Like why do, why do black surfaces get so much hotter than, than other colors?

[Annie Colbert]

Because they're absorbing more of the sun's so of that sunlight, they just absorb more of that. So if you can have lighter colors, it's going to reflect a little bit more and you're going to cooler listeners.

[Kusha Navadar]

We're talking about how to beat the heat. Give us a call, send us a text. We're at 212-433-9692. That's 212-433W NYC. Let's go to Kevin in Denver, Colorado. Hey, Kevin. Welcome to the show.

[Caller/Listener]

Hey, thank you. Thank you, Kushner. And. And I got to echo the Dr. Zhivago thing. If you haven't seen it. Wow. That movie will cool you off.

[Kusha Navadar]

Thanks, Kevin. Yeah, go ahead.

[Caller/Listener]

I remembered. I remembered where I got. I told you screener, and I just remembered where I got this thing. I got this amazing fan which has a cigarette lighter, you know, plug thingy, right at a. One of these, like, real official car stops on a highway, you know, with that, you know, interstate trucks, you know, travel on and stuff. And it's the greatest thing, man. I do not. I. I'm probably saving a whole lot on my car. I don't use the air conditioning anymore, man. I just. I just turn this little fan on, and it's fabulous.

[Kusha Navadar]

So it's a. It's a. It's a little fan that you plug in for energy into your car's, like, cigarette lighter, port, and then you kind of probably hook it onto the vent. One of the ven. Things. Is that right, Kevin?

[Caller/Listener]

It's got a clamp and it rotates, right? Yeah. So, like the, you know, what do you call that? You know that. That the holy s. Handle that you grab onto when somebody's driving too fast and makes a turn.

[Kusha Navadar]

Sure, sure.

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You clip the fan. I clip the fan on that and it rotates, you know, and it is just.

[Kusha Navadar]

Kevin, thanks for that call. Also, thank you for not swearing on public radio. I heard it. I appreciate you. I see you. I hope you're staying cool and shout out to all the different fans in our cars. Annie, Cars is an important part here because I'm sure a lot of people listening right now are driving. You know, there's a common summer experience where you get in a vehicle that's been sitting in the sun and you have to air it out a little because it's just too hot to breathe. And that's the same greenhouse effect that's contributing to climate change. Is that right?

[Annie Colbert]

Our cars are getting hotter because it is hotter outside. So we're having the sun. If it's hotter outside, it's going to get hotter inside your car. So whatever you can do to keep your car cool, if it's one of those windshield shades or when you get in the car, it is nice to release all of that hot air while you're trying to get the air conditioner to rev up and start working. So rolling down the windows, getting that Air circulation going. I like Kevin's point about just having a little fan is great. Again, it's going to push that heat off your body. And I use a tiny little battery operated fan. I have an eight month old baby, so while she's sitting in the stroller, that fan is great for pushing that hot air off of her skin.

[Kusha Navadar]

Kevin, thanks again for that call. Let's go to David on Upper west side. Hey, David, welcome to the show.

[Caller/Listener]

Hi, thanks for taking the call. So I actually just left my vet. My dog had her annual and she mentioned two things. She said it's all about the paws. Basically that's how they sweat, unlike us, is through the paws. And two things for city people to keep in mind is if you're walking on pavement, it can be much hotter than the air temperature. So it can even be 20, 30 degrees hotter. And basically she said to do a seven second rule, hold your hand against it if it's uncomfortable for you. It's not safe for the dog. And that when you get home, try to fill a tub or anything you can get your dog to step into. Getting their paws into cool water is by far the fastest way to help them cool down.

[Kusha Navadar]

David, thank you so much for that. I'm happy to hear that you're able to keep your puppy, you know, out of the heat. And that's a very good point about the black and the asphalt. Often the surfaces that we're on are way hotter than the outside. Annie, any other important considerations to think of when dealing with trying to keep non adult humans or even non humans cool?

[Annie Colbert]

Yeah, I think David's point was really great. It's like you have to remember that we're wearing shoes, so we're not exposing our feet. Hopefully we're wearing shoes in New York City. We're not exposing our feet to these hot new man made materials. Man made materials are always going to retain more heat than if you're walking in the grass. And you want to be conscious of how much hot heat you're exposing your dogs or babies or older people in your life to because their bodies aren't always as great at getting that heat out.

[Kusha Navadar]

We got a text that I want to read. It says, my son bought me an ice vest. It's great for keeping me cool while at home doing housework. I also have some ice packs in the freezer and, and I made some fabric covers and I take them to bed with me to keep cool in the night as I don't like sleeping with air conditioning. Air conditioning is big here. And how do air conditioners work?

[Annie Colbert]

So it's pretty complicated. I don't think I want to get into all of it right here. I don't know if it's going to be great on the audio format. Trying to explain exactly how an air conditioner.

[Kusha Navadar]

Fair enough, fair enough, fair enough. You know, UNICEF put out a report last month that highlighted the fact that as climate change warms up the planet, the energy demand for air conditioning has gone up, which means that the carbon emissions to produce that energy have to go up as well, and that further warms the planet. So it's this kind of vicious cycle that we're talking about at Popular Science. Have you seen or heard of any developments in how we, you know, produce energy or just try to stay. Stay cool that might, that might offer a way to get out of that vicious cycle?

[Annie Colbert]

Absolutely. We're always covering new technology. We're really focused on technology that's more sustainable, more green. Every year when we do our big best of what's New, which is our big series that runs at the end of the year, which is all around innovation, we always are really focused on sustainable solutions. So if you want to know about sustainable solutions, especially to heat and climate change and technology, Popular Science is definitely a place that you should be reading.

[Kusha Navadar]

Are there any other big things that people do to stay cool that are actually pretty bad for the environment that come to mind?

[Annie Colbert]

I mean, air conditioning is going to be the big one. I thought you were going to ask about if there's anything people do that isn't actually that good for you, because I did want to mention something because I know you talked about ice cream yesterday.

[Kusha Navadar]

Please go for it. Yeah, what's that?

[Annie Colbert]

Okay, so some research suggests, a lot of research suggests that, you know, while you might reach for ice cream or a popsicle when it's really hot, that effect is temporary on your body because your body is going to have to work to. It heats it up. So, like, once that food enters your body, it's going to get heated up pretty quickly. So it's going to. Unfortunately, the effect doesn't last very long. So you're probably better off taking that popsicle, putting it on your neck, putting it on your armpit, and then by all means, eat it. But anytime you're eating a high calorie food, your body's going to have to work harder. So when it's very hot outside, try to stick to foods that have a high water content, like watermelon or cucumbers, so that you're staying hydrated so big.

[Kusha Navadar]

Ice cream this whole time was trying to tell us that we were getting cooler.

[Annie Colbert]

Have it in the evenings. Have it in the evening. It's fine.

[Kusha Navadar]

Wow. That is great advice. Kind of also brings us full circle back to get a water bottle, fill it with some ice, make sure it's a little metallic, and then put it on your. On your. On your neck. There's one more text that I want to read before we wrap up here. I like this one. It says the easiest way to stay cool in the privacy of your home this summer.

[Caller/Listener]

Nudity.

[Kusha Navadar]

That seems to be something everybody could potentially practice. Folks, we've been here with Annie Colbert, the editor in chief of Popular Science. Thank you all so much for your tips. We hope that you're staying safe and cool out there, and we hope these tips have helped. And, Annie, I'm sure you've helped a lot of people. So thanks so much for hanging out with us.

[Annie Colbert]

Thank you so much.

[Kusha Navadar]

I'm gonna put you on, nephew.

[Caller/Listener]

All right, unc.

[Annie Colbert]

Welcome to McDonald's. Can I take your order, miss?

[Kusha Navadar]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years now.

[Caller/Listener]

It's back.

[Kusha Navadar]

We need snack wraps.

[Annie Colbert]

What's a snack wrap?

[Kusha Navadar]

It's the return of something great.

[Caller/Listener]

Snack wrap is back.

[Kusha Navadar]

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