The Guardian. June 18, 2021. If you are anything like me, you will find this piece disturbing. Not necessarily because it’s new or unanticipated information, but more because I feel ethically compelled to read it, and to consider what’s implied and what personal actions are needed. Who wants to read articles like this and acknowledge what is happening? Yes, these accounts are from elsewhere, but for how long will that continue? It’s only natural that as global temperatures increase, those areas that have been seasonally hot historically are going to reach distressing temperatures soonest. Unfortunately, there is nothing to suggest that increasing heat waves won’t also soon affect more temperate climates – such as in Nanaimo. Putting despair aside, the encouraging aspect of the article is the number of those interviewed who stressed that it’s not too late. By taking significant steps to combat climate change we can still avoid the future that this existing drought portends. The more prudent reaction, it seems, is to use such information as motivation for our initiating responsible and mindful local action. [ARTICLE LINK]

And here is another article on the same phenomenon, this one in the NY Times.