By: Dylan Waits
LEFT Josh Cortez and Jennifer Kerr are discussing the work that needs to be done while Jennfer eats frozen yogurt. The frozen yogurt was already melted upon arrival as it was 90 degrees outside.
Evin Clements is leveling the dirt on the ground to create a flat surface to lay the stone slabs. Evin Clements wears a hat every time he works as it shields his eyes from the sun.
Brian McCants is hunched over while grabbing a stone slab to place it on the dirt. Brian McCants has worked for Curb Appeal Scenes and Scapes for 22 years and says that he just likes to think about other things to keep his mind off the heat.
Brian McCants is grabbing a stone slab to lay it on top of the other slabs to move them to a separate area. Brian McCants wears a hear cover over his dreads to keep sweat away from his face.
Josh Cortez is laying stone slabs to create a walkway for the homeowners. Josh Cortez has worked for Curb Appeal Scenes and Scapes for five years and says that he wishes the company provided water or electrolytes to protect their employees from the heat.
LEFT Brian McCants and Josh Cortez work to lay slabs to create a path while Josh Cortez examines where to place the other slabs. The sweat is already noticeable on Josh Cortez's shirt after only 30 minutes of work.
Josh Cortez takes a break from working by sipping on a water bottle. Josh Cortez says he goes through at least four water bottles every time he works outside to avoid dehydration
. Josh Cortez is measuring out how many slabs it is going to take to complete the wall of the garden. Josh Cortez moved to the small, shaded area to work to get out of the sun and cool off.
Evin Clements places a stone slab on the dirt with his arm covered in sweat. The humidity caused the temperature outside to feel like 93 degrees.
Evin Clements drinks water from a hose while leaning against the shaded house. Landscapers rely on water from hoses to cool off their bodies and to drink as some of them don't bring water bottles.
Evin Clements shovels dirt onto the ground to help the stone slabs stick to the ground. The dark dirt makes the sun attracted to the ground causing the landscapers to feel hotter.
Evin Clements wipes the sweat from his face with his shirt while he waters the plants that will be planted in front of the house. The Curb Appeal shirts being green is a strategy not only used for branding but also it works to not absorb the sun as much as black, yellow, or red fabric.
Evin Clements operates the mini bulldozer to move heavy slabs back toward the other end of the walkway. Metal has high thermal conductivity, so they absorb and transfer heat very easily making it difficult for landscapers to keep cool.
Evin Clements takes a water break by drinking from the hose before watering the plants. Evin Clements has been working for Curb Appeal Scenes and Scapes for four years and says the heat is something you never get used to.
A landscaper dumps the dirt on the ground that will eventually be smoothed out and have slabs placed on top of it. The location of the yard had no tree coverage which didn't provide shade for the landscapers making them hotter.
Brian McCants dumps dirt on the ground to help out his coworkers who were smoothing out the dirt. The shovel having a wooden handle is a strategy used by Curb Appeal to make the equipment not get so hot to help keep the landscapers cool.
LEFT Josh Cortez and Brian McCants look over the work they have done while sweat covers their shirts. Landscapers lose 400-600 calories per hour while working outside because of the vigorous activity combined with the intense heat.
Josh Cortez holds a shovel to start to help smoothing out the dirt. Josh Cortez wears sunglasses to help keep the sun from his eyes every time he works.
LEFT Brian McCants, Evin Clements and Josh Cortez take a short break from work while Evin stands in the shade. The later in the day it got the less shade that was available for the landscapers.
LEFT Brian McCants and Josh Cortez look at Evin Clements while Brian McCants laughs at a joke he made. The Landscapers all try to keep a positive attitude to better deal with the heat and to help them keep their minds off of it.
