Fans for a Cooler NYC

New York City is hot right now and it’s not just because of the Knicks or the World Cup. We’re talking literally hot. Since 2023, when we wrote our first blog post about Extreme Heat Safety In New York City, it feels like the NYC Alert messages warning us about poor air quality or dangerous soaring temperatures have become more and more frequent. This year, a combination of factors might make the summer even more dangerous. There’s a powerful El Niño forming in the Pacific; basketball and soccer fans will spend more time outside (potentially forgetting to hydrate properly while focused on the game); and New York’s Climate Justice Bill suffered a huge blow that means our green house emissions will remain pretty high for the foreseeable future.

The future looks bleak and the situation is dire, but that doesn’t mean that a) there’s nothing we can do and b) we cannot enjoy the greatest city in the world and all it has to offer in the next few months. What we ask of you is to protect yourself and to also look at the bigger picture.

Attending Watch Parties and/or Going to a Game

We all know the basics, right? Drink plenty of water; wear sunscreen, a hat, and light clothes; look for shade or take breaks in an air conditioned environment (find a cooling center near you); minimize the ingestion of anything that can speed up dehydration (alcohol or caffeine, for example); and keep an eye on your peers for signs of heat exhaustion (Pro tip: for quick relief, place cold compresses or ice packs on pulse points like your wrists, neck, and the back of your knees). That includes our immigrant peers, who might be hesitant to seek medical help due to ICE threats. For them (and for allies), Hands Off NYC has a comprehensive list of all sorts of resources. If you’re on a strict schedule with your medication, make sure to bring it with you, especially if you suffer from asthma.

High profile events mean heightened security (and sometimes commercial) restrictions. There might be limitations to beverages and sunscreen types and sizes, for example. Make sure to check with the organizer of the event what can and cannot be brought in. Take advantage of water fountains, (legally) open hydrants, fans, and anything that might mitigate the heat. And, by the way, hydration is also important at night .

In case of rain, seek shelter. It might be tempting to enjoy a rainbath when the temperature is above 90 degrees, but don’t do it. Thunder, lightning, and hail are very common when it’s this hot. If there’s a risk of flash flooding, seek higher ground and never tread through flood waters.

We also strongly recommend that you take public transportation wherever you’re going. Plan your trip to avoid long wait times in overheated subway platforms or shadeless bus stops. Pro tip: the center of the train car usually has the strongest AC airflow. And for a cooler and scenic experience, take advantage of NYC Ferry if that’s available near you.

Deputy Public Advocate for Infrastructure & Environmental Justice Kashif Hussain joins a group of protesters holding a sign asking for Climate Justice.

Beyond Individual Approaches: Climate Organizing

Climate change doesn’t hit us all equally. Low-income neighborhoods have less green spaces, worse air quality, and higher temperatures. And even though New York State has an Essential Plan Cooling Program, and New York City offers Cooling Centers for unhoused people and others that might just need a break from the heat, access to air conditioning (and the means to pay for the electricity bill that comes with its use) is a luxury to many New Yorkers.

On top of that, the recent explosion in Data Centers to feed the Artificial Intelligence boom threatens our access to potable water, and drives up energy prices and local temperatures; international climate talks have reached a stand still; and the federal government is actively pushing to block any attempts at a clean energy transition. There’s no amount of sunscreen that can protect us from all this harm.

It is through collective solutions like Congestion Pricing, improved public and clean energy transportation, and a Data Center moratorium (pending the governor’s signature) that we can achieve long-lasting results. All these victories were only possible through collective action and are just a tiny fraction of what is needed for meaningful change.

Joining the Climate Movement

Through our Infrastructure & Environmental Justice team, the Office of the Public Advocate has been pushing for legislation and accountability, and proposing solutions to mitigate our climate crisis. We’re the prime sponsors of Intro 767, requiring the City to publicly post information about the release of oil into the environment; and Intro 768, which increases penalties on buildings for failure to comply with water backflow regulations. We also passed Intro 403-A, requiring the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to unclog catch basins within eight days of an inspection or complaint and that the agency reports catch basin clearance data each year.

Check out our environmental reports, our other climate related blog posts, and keep an eye on our Eventbrite for climate organizing events and activities. Get involved in your community, protest safely, and engage in events with your elected officials. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but together we can make it happen!

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Photos by Caroll Andrewsk for the Office of the Public Advocate

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