Talking about global warming on a day in April when I woke up to 36-degree Fahrenheit temperatures may feel to some as if we’re perpetuating some kind of myth or conspiracy theory. We have this horrible tendency to consider global warming theory as meaning the same thing to all regions around the world. We’ve blocked it from being taught in many schools because we fail to understand how critical the matter is to the world as a whole and probably won’t recognize the danger until it’s too late.
Warning: for much of the world, it’s already too late.
Take a look at the picture above. I’ve been coming to the same spot in this park for 19 years. Normally, including last year, I could not stand on dry ground to take this picture from this position. The water would be at least ankle-deep. While we’ve set some rainfall records for the month, there still is a deficit in the amount of water flooding traditional wetlands. This may not yet affect how green the grass is in your overly manicured earth-warming yard, but it does affect the wildlife living off the wetlands, and that wildlife inevitably impacts the quality of the air you breathe and the temperatures in which you are forced to live and work. Changes that are occurring are not yet to the point that they are slapping you in the face on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean they’re not sneaking up behind you, ready to pounce.
The climate on this little blue ball of nonsense has never been all that stable. That’s why our most ancient ancestors created deities whom they could blame when weather-related disasters such as floods, storms, famine, and drought. They didn’t have any understanding of science or weather patterns and how they work, so they invented something to help them understand. They were wrong, but it gave them comfort to pray to those deities and offer them sacrifices.
Now, as our understanding of climate and weather continues to increase, we can see more reliably how actions in one part of the world affect weather in other parts of the world. What we do in North America has a disastrous effect on people on the African continent. As things change in the Middle East, Europe can suffer changes that upend the entire food supply and their ability to work outdoors.
Yet, right here on the ground level people in the United States, continue to remain willfully ignorant of climate matters and think that this whole warming thing is “just a phase that will straighten itself out.” Yes, it’s going to straighten itself out, but it may not do so in a manner conducive to the continuation of human life on this planet. We are latecomers to the scene anyway. The planet has no obligation to keep us alive.
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One of the reports released earlier this morning states “World’s Workers Increasingly At Risk As Climate Changes.” This report from the International Labor Organisation (ILO) should make everyone shudder more than a bit. Among its findings are fun things like air pollution killing 860,00 workers each year. Now, compared to a global population of just under eight billion, 860,000 may not sound like much unless you or your children happen to be among that 860,000.
“We do have some (countries) that already limit exposure to high temperatures and also limit exposure to air pollution, but we rarely have occupational exposure limits set for the other hazards,” said Manal Azzi, ILO Senior Specialist on occupational safety and health.
Hmmm. Could he possibly be talking about the states of Florida and Texas that block local governments from passing laws that protect outdoor laborers? Seriously, the states of Florida and Texas won’t allow city governments to require that workers be provided with shade and water during the hottest months. This isn’t only a denial of climate change, but genocide toward those who work in extreme heat, people who are often among the lowest paid and least likely to be politically involved.
When you consider the full cocktail of environmental changes that affect those who work outdoors, that 860,000 number jumps to over 3.4 billion. Is that a large enough number for you? That’s more than 90% of the entire US population. Anyone who spends any significant time outdoors is in trouble and should be considered at high risk for lethal health issues.
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Another article released from Brussels this morning warns that ” Europe is increasingly facing bouts of heat so intense that the human body cannot cope, as climate change continues to raise temperatures.” This wonderful bit of news comes from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization. What they’re specifically looking at is a 7% increase in the parts of Europe where daytime temps have exceeded 46 degrees Celsius, the point at which the body needs immediate healthcare to prevent heat stroke and other issues. In one particularly disastrous case, a 44-year-old man painting road markings in the Italian town of Lodi collapsed from the heat and died before an ambulance had time to respond.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent on the planet. Heat-related deaths there have increased by more than 30% in the past twenty years, making it one of the most dangerous places to work or play outside. With the Summer Olympics coming to France this year, how the heat will impact athletes is a major concern, especially when outdoor track events are frequently held in relatively quick succession, not giving athletes a lot of time to recover from the previous event.
None of this is terribly new, of course. Scientists have been warning that deaths and illnesses are going to increase if countries don’t take demonstrable measures to offset the warming. The Paris Accords were passed but the United States and several other countries have failed to live up to their part of the agreement. This is a dangerous situation where we are allowing petty politics to interfere with the potential extinction of our species.
I know that, as a group, humans can be extremely stupid and self-defeating. Are we so stupid, though, as to endanger human survival beyond the next 100 years?
Yeah, we’re that stupid. I’d worry for your grandchildren if I were you.
Talking about global warming on a day in April when I woke up to 36-degree Fahrenheit temperatures may feel to some as if we’re perpetuating some kind of myth or conspiracy theory. We have this horrible tendency to consider global warming theory as meaning the same thing to all regions around the world. We’ve blocked it from being taught in many schools because we fail to understand how critical the matter is to the world as a whole and probably won’t recognize the danger until it’s too late.
Warning: for much of the world, it’s already too late.
Take a look at the picture above. I’ve been coming to the same spot in this park for 19 years. Normally, including last year, I could not stand on dry ground to take this picture from this position. The water would be at least ankle-deep. While we’ve set some rainfall records for the month, there still is a deficit in the amount of water flooding traditional wetlands. This may not yet affect how green the grass is in your overly manicured earth-warming yard, but it does affect the wildlife living off the wetlands, and that wildlife inevitably impacts the quality of the air you breathe and the temperatures in which you are forced to live and work. Changes that are occurring are not yet to the point that they are slapping you in the face on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean they’re not sneaking up behind you, ready to pounce.
We tend to think of the Middle East as a relatively dry place, don’t we? We hear the reference and think of camels and deserts and turbans. Last week, the Dubai Airport had to close and a record number of people were killed because of rain and flooding. Just this morning, The Washington Post published the story: “Flooding Wreaks Havoc Across East Africa. Burundi Is Especially Hard Hit.” Climate change is real and if it’s not already affecting you in disastrous ways, just wait: you could be next.
The climate on this little blue ball of nonsense has never been all that stable. That’s why our most ancient ancestors created deities whom they could blame when weather-related disasters such as floods, storms, famine, and drought. They didn’t have any understanding of science or weather patterns and how they work, so they invented something to help them understand. They were wrong, but it gave them comfort to pray to those deities and offer them sacrifices.
Now, as our understanding of climate and weather continues to increase, we can see more reliably how actions in one part of the world affect weather in other parts of the world. What we do in North America has a disastrous effect on people on the African continent. As things change in the Middle East, Europe can suffer changes that upend the entire food supply and their ability to work outdoors.
Yet, right here on the ground level people in the United States, continue to remain willfully ignorant of climate matters and think that this whole warming thing is “just a phase that will straighten itself out.” Yes, it’s going to straighten itself out, but it may not do so in a manner conducive to the continuation of human life on this planet. We are latecomers to the scene anyway. The planet has no obligation to keep us alive.
One of the reports released earlier this morning states “World’s Workers Increasingly At Risk As Climate Changes.” This report from the International Labor Organisation (ILO) should make everyone shudder more than a bit. Among its findings are fun things like air pollution killing 860,00 workers each year. Now, compared to a global population of just under eight billion, 860,000 may not sound like much unless you or your children happen to be among that 860,000.
“We do have some (countries) that already limit exposure to high temperatures and also limit exposure to air pollution, but we rarely have occupational exposure limits set for the other hazards,” said Manal Azzi, ILO Senior Specialist on occupational safety and health.
Hmmm. Could he possibly be talking about the states of Florida and Texas that block local governments from passing laws that protect outdoor laborers? Seriously, the states of Florida and Texas won’t allow city governments to require that workers be provided with shade and water during the hottest months. This isn’t only a denial of climate change, but genocide toward those who work in extreme heat, people who are often among the lowest paid and least likely to be politically involved.
When you consider the full cocktail of environmental changes that affect those who work outdoors, that 860,000 number jumps to over 3.4 billion. Is that a large enough number for you? That’s more than 90% of the entire US population. Anyone who spends any significant time outdoors is in trouble and should be considered at high risk for lethal health issues.
Another article released from Brussels this morning warns that ” Europe is increasingly facing bouts of heat so intense that the human body cannot cope, as climate change continues to raise temperatures.” This wonderful bit of news comes from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization. What they’re specifically looking at is a 7% increase in the parts of Europe where daytime temps have exceeded 46 degrees Celsius, the point at which the body needs immediate healthcare to prevent heat stroke and other issues. In one particularly disastrous case, a 44-year-old man painting road markings in the Italian town of Lodi collapsed from the heat and died before an ambulance had time to respond.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent on the planet. Heat-related deaths there have increased by more than 30% in the past twenty years, making it one of the most dangerous places to work or play outside. With the Summer Olympics coming to France this year, how the heat will impact athletes is a major concern, especially when outdoor track events are frequently held in relatively quick succession, not giving athletes a lot of time to recover from the previous event.
None of this is terribly new, of course. Scientists have been warning that deaths and illnesses are going to increase if countries don’t take demonstrable measures to offset the warming. The Paris Accords were passed but the United States and several other countries have failed to live up to their part of the agreement. This is a dangerous situation where we are allowing petty politics to interfere with the potential extinction of our species.
I know that, as a group, humans can be extremely stupid and self-defeating. Are we so stupid, though, as to endanger human survival beyond the next 100 years?
Yeah, we’re that stupid. I’d worry for your grandchildren if I were you.
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