It’s summertime and everyone is just itching to get outside. And if you aren’t careful, they’ll come back burnt to a crisp. And then who’s responsibility is it?
Sun safety is something that everyone needs to take more seriously. While some people are to be seen slathering on copious amounts of sunscreen and hiding indoors, others are reckless in regard to the sun and its damaging effects.
And let there be no mistake, the sun is damaging. UV radiation is harmful to the skin. It causes all kinds of problems ranging from mild sunburn to cancer. Sun damage is responsible for accelerated aging of the skin, liver spots, and general sun damage. These are things nobody wants. Of course, even a sunburn is one of the worst things about summer.
Fortunately, there are lots of things that can be done to minimize or eliminate the risk of sun damage this season. The solutions are a lot of common sense, but someone has to actually enact and enforce these measures to have the intended effect. Read on to discover some of the best ways to stay safe in the sun with this summer’s fun.
Establish Lots Of Shade At Home
If you have the ability to make changes to an outdoor environment, then shade is the name of the game. At home, you have the ability to make the changes that you deem necessary for your family’s health. In this instance, that means shade, shade, and more shade.
There are a few ways to improve shade cover at home. This article will talk about it enough to help you get some ideas about what is right for you and your home.
Awnings
One of the most effective ways to improve shade cover at home is to install a retractable awning. Retractable awnings are shade covers that are mounted in a tube on the eave of your home. When in use, the awning is withdrawn and extended. When fully outstretched, retractable awnings provide significant amounts of cover. They also protect from other elements, making your backyard suitable for use during rainstorms or snowstorms.
Awnings are affordable and quick to install. They are fully retractable and are nearly invisible when not in use. They provide the shade of an umbrella or permanent structure while taking up virtually no space or storage.
Trees
Trees are the best long-term solution. However, they won’t be helping you out anytime soon unless you have a tree company come and drop a massive shade tree in your yard. Trees also require some maintenance to keep them from damaging your home or becoming a risk to your family.
Otherwise, trees are a great way to add beauty, shade, and perhaps even some fruit or nuts. Make sure to be mindful of the tree’s product as thousands of hackberries will make a mess of your yard, and hedge apples are likely to knock someone out. Not to mention the thorns.
Trellis’ And Plant Cover
Another good option is to use a trellis with vine coverage or some other form of plant coverage. One of the more popular options is to install a wooden or metal trellis to cover the back porch. Then, vines or other viny plants are grown along the trellis, eventually covering the structure and providing shade. This kind of shade won’t protect you from the rain, but it’s beautiful and provides moderate shade when fully grown in. However, it takes a few months each season to be effective and it takes a bit of maintenance.
There are lots of other options to use plants effectively as shade covers. Anything of the palm variety is suitable for use as a shade. Palms grow best in tropical and subtropical regions. Anything cooler and the plant probably won’t survive outdoor. If in a temperate environment, evergreen palms will need to be taken in. There are some medium-sized palm varieties that can survive quite well in pots and are effective sources of shade. But they are still big enough to struggle to get into an interior doorway.
Use Sunscreen
It goes without saying that sunscreen is of the utmost importance when it comes to protecting your family’s skin from the sun. This should be the primary approach when not at home. Sunscreen won’t protect you from everything sun-related, but it goes a really long way towards protecting your skin, and it’s very convenient too. Make sure you apply sunscreen to any children before they go out. They can’t be trusted to do it themselves. Be ready with a tube in hand during cooldowns and water breaks so you can reapply efficiently.
Invest In Various Coverings
Covering your skin with opaque cloth is the most effective way to protect yourself when going out. There are a lot of ways to do this. Everyone will essentially need a sunsuit for every kind of activity that they will partake in out in the sun.
For example, when doing gardening, mowing, or some other kind of activity, long shirts, pants, shoes, hats, glasses, gloves, and face coverings should be employed. But that just won’t cut it at the beach. So it’s time to get creative.
When doing some sort of sport that requires a more revealing outfit, there are other things to consider. An oversized sunhat would come in handy here. A sholl can be employed to cover the shoulders from direct damage. A sarong could be worn around the waist to cover the abdomen and lower body. Make sure you’ve got the essential summer garments on hand.
Avoid Going Out At Peak Times
You can’t always get what you want when you want it. And that means dealing with reality. The truth is that it isn’t a good idea to go out at peak times. Most of the world takes a break at peak sun times because it just isn’t healthy. This is a wise approach.
Whenever possible, avoid going out and doing outside activities on sunny days around lunch and into the early afternoon. If someone absolutely can’t avoid it, then make sure they’re covered from multiple angles.
If you’re dealing with pent-up kids, it’s a good idea to plan some good activities to kill an hour or two before letting them go out in it. Delaying them even fifteen minutes is beneficial at peak sun.
A Comprehensive Approach
Like with most things, a single method won’t be adequate to deal with the problem. The best approach is to use all possible solutions when appropriate. Work on improving the shade coverage at home. Try to get as close to 100% as possible. When going out, make sure to have adequate coverings that are suitable for the activity at hand. And never go out, or let your loved ones go out, without an adequate layer of sunscreen.
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