Soon, I Will Learn to Love (Walking) Again
It appears the disgusting travesty of August-like heat and humidity in October is close to an end. In a couple days we will start getting some September-like weather. I have been hating my walks to and from work in these last couple weeks. Not that the heat is particularly bad, it's just that it has lasted too long. This is why I moved out of Florida. The beauty of a temperate climate is that just when you're getting sick of the summer heat, the coolness of Fall arrives. This year, the anomalous heat has disrupted my internal climate clock and thrown me into bitter and angry confusion. I see leaves falling to the ground but only through the dripping sweat of my brow. My sweaters and light jackets lie idle in my closet. And my electric bill is going to kill me next month because I've got the AC on full blast in the second week of October. I should have my windows open, enjoying the cool breeze and the sounds of crazy homeless and/or drunk people on the street.
Anyway, I don't know if it's global warming or what but as I sweat and walk I've been thinking about ways to mitigate the heat-island effect in the city. First, someone needs invent white asphalt so that heat will be reflected by the pavement rather than absorbed. Then, all buildings should be required to have those "green" rooftops covered in vegetation that not only take up carbon dioxide emissions but also aid in mitigating the heat. Imagine flying over a city that looks like a green jungle crisscrossed with white streets. How awesome would that be?
I dream of a sweat-less future.
5 comments:
When I lived in Florida (until not long ago), I thought that the difference between FL and other places was that FL was hotter. Now, though, I realize that other places- namely, DC- get just as hot as FL, and the real difference is simply that FL never gets cold.
DC weather=worst of all worlds
Yep, moved here from Miami thinking I'd get a real fall out of the deal. I still enjoy the walk to work, but I bought these corduroy pants for a reason, dammit!
I'm from Mississippi and it feels like I never left. Where is fall DC?!
I moved here from Dallas and so it feels like it has been summer for like 6 months. Wait...it kinda has been. Bring on the scarf weather!
i moved from DC to Miami 4 years ago, and then moved back about 5 months ago, just at the beginning of the summer. i agree that summer lasted too long, but it isn't the same. in Miami, you basically can't do anything outside in the summer, because it's 98 degrees with 85% humidity. you can't walk a block in the shade without breaking a sweat. at least it cools off a bit in DC in the evening.
to the commenter who said that DC has the worst weather ever, that's just plain wrong. I've lived all over, and DC has the greatest weather of anywhere i've lived. it is rarely too hot or too cold.
Post a Comment