Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verificationEl Nino may have officially ended, but Hong Kong continues to break temperature records, with deadly consequences. A 56-year-old hiker passed away in June after being found unconscious, showing signs of heatstroke. We often associate extreme heat with deserts and droughts, but humidity can make heatwaves exceptionally deadly.You may have heard of how drinking hot drinks can cool you: it works by making you sweat, which then evaporates, taking heat away. This, however, depends on the humidity – the more humid the air, the less sweat can evaporate. On hot, humid days, our sweat just clings to our skin and fails to cool us.
When our bodies cannot cool down, it can lead to heatstroke. A study published in 2022 suggests the maximum wet-bulb temperature – when the air is water-saturated, and sweat cannot evaporate – we can tolerate is at around 31 degrees Celsius.
What does it mean for us? For many in Hong Kong, turning on the air conditioning sounds like a simple solution. Those that have to work outdoors however – such as construction, cleaning, and delivery workers – are not as lucky. Sectors with an ageing workforce are also a concern. While the Labour Department has recently updated its heatstroke prevention guidance, it is still non-binding.
Climate change will continue to expose us to more extreme temperatures and weather after El Nino. Heat protection policies must be mandatory and have teeth to make workplaces safe. This includes providing water breaks, shading, rest periods and more to avoid heat stress. Beyond the private sector, the government must help vulnerable and low-income households to stay cool, while educating the public on how to cope with extreme heat and humidity.
Even if we mitigate climate change today, the impacts will not end overnight. We need climate adaptation to build resilience and safeguard public health as extreme weather intensifies in the coming decades.
Dr Jeffrey Hung, CEO, Friends of the Earth (HK)
Air conditioning temperature settings need a rethink
Energy saving is being much discussed these days around the world. Have you ever taken a look at the temperature setting on your air conditioner? I did.
The manufacturer of the cooling device advises 23.5 to 26 degrees Celsius. One air conditioner servicing website said keeping the temperature too high could damage the unit.
How energy-saving is this advice? I’m told that my body temperature is 37 degrees Celsius, though this is difficult to believe, because my body starts sweating at 28 or 29 degrees Celsius.
But following the equipment manufacturer’s advice, I should perhaps turn the equipment to 26 degrees or below. In the interest of saving energy, I retire my warm blanket during summer; I comfortably sleep at 27 degrees, or with the ceiling fan at 28. At 26 degrees and below, I have to re-employ that blanket.
Isn’t there a big open field for our engaged environmentalists to influence air conditioner manufacturers to make a more environmentally friendly version?
Roland Guettler, Lai Chi Kok
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