What I Want For Summer Solstice

[tara]

for myself and to give as presents, is:
1. A sun hat that blocks most of the blue through ultra-violet, but lets all the red through infra-red through. And is made of something more flexible and less fragile than glass.
2. A shirt with similar properties. Even better if it tolerates swimming in salty surf.
3. A windcheater with similar light-filter properties. It's OK if this one is not available till March.

Anyone know of any such products already available at affordable prices?

Or anyone looking for a product development idea? :)

 

[Ledo]

Hi Tara,

Just a quick thought ...wouldn't blocking blue light at certain morning or day times be potentially disruptive to circadian rhythm entrainment? I really like the idea for the UV blocking alone though. I bet that product would sell!

 

[tara]

In summer I like to spend hours at the beach, or on the hills, or in the garden. I think I get a real boost from the sunlight. I don't want to block all the UV all the time - I'm happy to have a half hour or so of full spectrum sunlight.
Down here under the ozone hole, it doesn't take long to get burned in summer. I'd like to be out for hours every day building up a tan so I had my own endogenous protection, but that's not how my life looks. I go to work etc through the week, then if we get a sunny Sunday, and I head for the beach etc. I smear a bit of homemade sunscreen on, but the really effective one for many hours in the sun has enough zinc oxide to make me look like a ghost.

And then some days the sun is shining brightly, but the wind is just too cold to expose much skin, so that's when I want a transparent-to-red jacket.