Workers in Europe : how do you deal with climate change ?

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If this topic speaks to you, feel free to jump in and share your experience.

Workers in Europe: how do you deal with climate change?

Thank you!

Cheryl - @Cheryl

We are air conditioned here at Fluffy Towers but unless it's over about 27C, we don't bother.  We put the blinds down and use ceiling fans.  We do not have solar but I'd like to install it.  The building is just not constructed for it but I think it could worked out.  It's mainly constructed to keep heat in.

My big concern is not really hot weather but water.  I think we'll have huge shortages of water. Like now, desertification is going on in Velence Lake.  They are now talking about a 15km pipeline from the Danube out towards Velence to fill the lake up again.  It would reach a certain place, high enough for gravity to do the rest of the work. 

I am still toying with the idea of a 10,000 litre rainwater tank built underground, mainly to water the garden and our vegetable plot.  We'd use it a lot between about May and October.   It'd be more like an emergency tank rather than a direct way of getting water.  There are no water shortages here currently but some areas are suffering more than others.

Things are different to before back in only 20 years ago.  We used to get massive downpours but now we get a hint of a thunderstorm and nothing happens and it's blinking hot all the time.

Currently, 15C with a forecast high of 23C later today; currently overcast, but they reckon it will have cleared by 10:00, then sunny for the rest of the day.  Only excitement today (apart from Mrs C going to Hospital for a check-up) and I've just cut my finger, is the milkman has just been and Boris has gone to Doggy Day Care.

To get back on subject; I'm retired and spend most of my days at home (Mrs C - a nurse, still has a couple of years till she can retire) we're quite lucky in that some decisions we made in the past have gone some way to reduce the impact of climate change.  The house was built about 40 years ago and had cavity wall insulation put in by the builders.  We recently updated our double glazing and had new heat reflective blinds installed at the same time; then we had solar panels put on the roof and storage batteries attached to make the most benefit out of them; we then had air-conditioning installed (split system up and downstairs).  End result, we ran the air-conditioning 24/7 in the recent heat-waves in the UK and I got my recent energy bill this morning - no charge for any electricity and £15 for gas (hot water).  We also sell our excess electricity back to the power company; oh, and we charge our EV car and have a special night tariff if we need it (haven't used it yet). I struggle to think of a downside.  By all means, if anybody has any questions, please ask.

Germany is known for not having air-conditioning because it was formerly never really needed. It also takes a lot of electricity, many older buildings don't have the capasity for. My apartment building is not extremely well insulted but not so bad. We do have well insulted windows that were replaced about 10 year ago and roll down shutters (common in Germany) in the apartments. We have the shutters down during the time the sun would directly shine in and have the windows all open at night to cool things down. We have a couple of fans in addition but get along well without air-conditioning. Poorly insulated buildings lacking shutters will be a problem. But insulation helps both during periods of cold or warmth. Should be the first line of defense.

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your replies

I'm currently in mainland Europe, and I have never been so glad to be going home to the UK tomorrow in my aircon EV and the aircon in my house.  Having lived in Belize for 6 months, I should have been better able to cope with the current heat here in Europe, but I'm melting here.  I used to run in this heat; now I find it hard to open the front door.

I always keep the window open and sleep with a fan towards me when I need to.

Wish I had AC like back home, but it sucks a lot of electricity.