ARD (Channel 1,public TV in Germany) had an interesting report this AM. Subject? Summer heat kills thousands of Germans each year.
The Robert Koch Institute, the German Weather Service and the Federal Environment Agency went and did a survey of data for 2018, 2019 and 2020.
What they say....around 19,000 Germans due because of the heat. The term used? Excess heat mortality.
They suggest that over the past couple of decades.....Germans got used to heat by using lighter clothing, drinking more liquids to hydrated, using cover/shade and avoiding direct sunlight.
I paused over this.
Both extreme heat and extreme cold kill people. Its pretty much known as a fact for over a hundred years, and I suspect you can go back to the mid-1800s and find news articles about adapting to cold and heat.
From 2003's hot summer (a record for central Europe).....most of who were around remember the six-odd weeks where the heat just continued on....day after day. I'd even start a practice of picking up a bag of ice each day on the way home....making up combo of lemon and water. France over this period, admitted around 14,000 folks dying from the summer heat....mostly from dehydration....drinking wine more than water.
I'm in some belief of the numbers cited by the Germans, but I'm also of the mind that they might want to review winter numbers, and attribute them also to the trend.
Adjusting? Well....you might get far on most of these ideas....but when you bring up air conditioning....there's probably fifty-percent of the population who are anti-AC, and think it's very wasteful.
I've got a AC unit....which is a roll-around operation, and it remains in the basement for the vast amount of time....only getting set-up in July and August. My wife (German in nature) is pretty much anti-AC....chatting up electrical waste, but allowing it when it's gotten past 32 C (89 F).
So prepare yourself....you might be seeing more public forum chatter.....how to 'fight' the heat, and save Germans.
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