“Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850,” notes a landmark 2013 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
And there’s no doubt heat kills. Every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 600 people die in the U.S. alone from severe heat.
It’s no wonder we spend so much of our summers huddled in our climate-controlled colonies — offices and homes where we can breathe a little easier. And ironically, that reliance on air conditioning — and the fossil fuel plants that power it — only heats up our atmosphere more.
But we do have to go outside sometimes. Only soon, we may have to suit up for it.
Fortunately, the designs for wearable air conditioning — yes, companies are already developing the technology — don’t suggest we’ll be waddling around in Apollo 11-style moon suits.
Instead, the focus is more on wearables. Sony, for example, crowdfunded a device that fits seamlessly under clothes to cool the skin.
I – Word Understanding
Preceding – previous
Huddled – gathered/stay together (in one place)
Seamlessly – perfectly
II – Have Your Say
LET’S DO A PRODUCT REVIEW OF THE FOLLOWING WEARABLE AIR CONDITIONERS:
1. Reon Pocket by Sony: Here is a photo and a short preview of Sony’s wearable air conditioner Reon Pocket. It is set to hit the market in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. https://mymodernmet.com/sony-wearable-air-conditioner/
2. Wave Bracelet by Embr Labs – The battery-powered bracelet instantly cools or warms the temperature-sensitive skin on the inside of your wrist.https://embrlabs.com/
3. AIRism by Uniqlo – Innovative and functional inner wear that keeps us dry and comfortable all day long https://www.uniqlo.com/my/store/women/collections/airism.html
698 The planet is getting so hot, we’ll soon be wearing air conditioners
