August means summer is still blazing hot. You probably do cooling activities, like swimming or playing with water balloons, to beat the heat. But what do people in other countries do when it gets hot?
Bangkok, Thailand is the hottest city in the world. During their hot season, the temperature can reach 107 degrees. Many people stay cool indoors in Bangkok. In fact, there is even an indoor snow-themed park for skiing and sledding year-round.
People that have to be outside in Bangkok have a few tricks to stay cool. Many people use umbrellas to keep the sun off of them. People that work outside bring coolers filled with ice and cold drinks. Sometimes they even dump the buckets of ice water over their heads.
India is one of the hottest countries in the world. It also has a very large population living in poverty [the state of being extremely poor]. Only 2% of the population has air conditioners. People there keep themselves cool by taking many cool baths, pouring buckets of water on their concrete floors, or drinking moru – a cool drink made of buttermilk, curry, and spices.
Extreme heat isn’t just uncomfortable, it can be deadly. In India, 4,620 deaths were caused by heat in the last four years. These problems affect the poor and elderly most of all. Ironically, air conditioners release greenhouse gases. So, when some people get to stay cool, it makes the rest of the world hotter.
What do you think? What is the best way for other countries to cope with heat?
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