In the next heat wave, cooling solutions could be waiting outdoors

This past summer earned the not-so-coveted rank of hottest year on record. Living in the Washington region, we always expect our summers to be hot and muggy, but these heat waves are something new, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Echoes of that heat can still be felt now in an abnormally warm October, which should prompt us to act in advance of the next actual heat wave.