Many people in Ulaanbaatar do not have access to running water. They have to carry their water from community tanks that are filled up by water trucks. It is a mystery where Ulaanbaatar will continue to get its water in the future, since it's already struggling to provide enough water now.
Mongolians have adapted to their environment by raising specific kinds of animals for food. Sheep and camels can withstand long, dry and cold winters, so Mongolians make different dairy products from their milk. Mongolians do not just eat yogurt and drink milk; they have discovered so many other ways to consume dairy. They also always use every part of an animal when it comes to meat, and they dry meat so that they can use it during months when meat is more scarce.
The next big environmental adaptation Mongolians are facing is how to adapt to pollution. Pollution causes a lot of health problems, and citizens of Ulaanbaatar are already facing health challenges from pollution. For example, Ulaanbaatar has a very high rate of something called hypertension, which can very easily lead to a heart attack. The increase in hypertension has been proven to be a result of increased pollution within the last 10 years. Mongolians will need to find a way to either eliminate pollution or adapt their buildings to combat pollution.
