It's pretty likely that July 2023 in Phoenix will wrap up without a single day where the high temp was below 110 degrees (43.3 Celsius). Beating the previous record of 18 days in a row set in 1974. Further, the low temperature at night has been at or above 90 degrees most of the month. And this low temp doesn't happen until the wee hours of the morning. 100 degrees at midnight is common.
These are beastly temperatures unsuitable for human habitation. Leading to record power consumption to run air conditioning. Anyone who lives in a typical 3-4 bedroom home in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area will be paying about $500 this month for electricity to keep it cool. Outdoor pools around the city are at bathwater temperatures and provide little relief unless cooled by a water chiller using even more electricity.
Unhoused people are fighting for their survival. People who work outside are struggling every day. Most construction schedules and road work have shifted to night / early morning hours.
Imagine living in a place where you look forward to days when it's "only 100." See, the body can adapt to 100 degrees, especially if you use wet vests or gators that provide evaporative cooling. I've had "comfortable" motorcycle rides at 100 where I wasn't thinking about the heat the entire time.
But 110 is another story. There's very little adaptation possible. You can go an hour or two in that heat if you hydrate and don't exert yourself too much. But if you don't get some kind of regular temperature relief, your body will begin to shut down and you're in danger of collapse. With potentially permanent damage to muscles, neurology, heart, kidneys, and liver.
Now lets fast forward a few decades. If we don't tackle climate change NOW, large portions of the Southern US will have THREE MONTHS of these conditions per year by mid-Century. That's 90-100 days per year when it's effectively life-threatening to be outside.
Needless to say, this is incompatible with civilization. Large portions of the Earth are set to turn into no-go zones, where former great cities become scorched ghost towns. With profound implications for humanity.
There's no "economy" under these conditions.
There's one question, and one question alone that should define human self-awareness in 2023: Do you consider climate mitigation to be the TOP GLOBAL PRIORITY ABOVE ALL OTHER CONCERNS? If you don't, you're 100% complicit with the dastardly fossil-fuel global suicide pact.
Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
Fiddling while Rome burns.
All metaphors fail.
#climate #phoenix #heatstroke #suicidepact #fossilfuels #corporate #murder #heatdeath