A Simple Solution in a Warming World: More Shade Trees
No matter who plants them, trees can help prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke
It was 67 years ago. I was a teenager, school was out, and there was an opportunity to earn money picking strawberries for 10 cents a quart at a farm about 5 miles away. So, on a hot, humid, sunny day, I hopped on my bike, went to the farm, and started picking. I never wore a hat in those days. I wanted to earn as much as possible, so I just kept picking and picking and picking.
But by late morning, I was absolutely exhausted. The farmer told me to go over and drink from the hose, but I still just felt awful. Somehow, I got back on my bike, rode home, and collapsed for the rest of the day. My parents took me to the doctor, who said I had heat exhaustion and to take it easy for the rest of that day and the next. “But, when you go back to picking, be sure to wear a hat and get out of the sun every hour and sit under a shade tree and drink some water.”
That was good advice. It worked. The message: Even a young, healthy kid can get sick quickly working on a hot, humid, sunny day. But shade and water can help.
That combination of heat and humidity sets us up for trouble. The greater the humidity, the lower the temperature required to produce heat…
