RESIDENT SNAIL NERD

it's kind of crazy climate change has occurred at such a remarkable pace that I and everyone else around my age can remember a completely different climate in our childhoods. I truly watched winter gradually disappear in my life.

"You're too young to remember this, but there used to be so many insects outside that you would have to clean them off the windshield after a long car ride" is the kind of sentence that would have been in a cheesy scifi short story earlier in my life, perhaps submitted to a literary magazine and accepted to show support for its environmentalist message - now it's something I've said in earnest.

My mother asked why it looked like the apocalypse outside. So I showed her this map.

She's very quiet now.

The fact that this joke is from the very first episode (which aired in January 1997) is messing with me.

its so fucking funny that nuclear waste is such a contentious topic. like yeah those damn nuclear advocates need to figure out somewhere reasonable to put that nuclear waste. for now we will  be sticking with coal power because it puts its waste products safe and sound In Our Lungs, where they cannot hurt anybody,

you cant just put nuclear waste in the ground it might hurt somebdoy :/ put it in the air that everyone breathes like a responsible power source :/

ohhh noooo :( you can’t just produce three cubic metres of waste per plant per year, that’s so little how will anyone notice :( you have to produce 240,000 tons of toxic waste and emit 3.8 million tons of carbon dioxide per plant per year so everyone knows where the danger is :(

the whole "british people struggling in this heat ur ancestors colonized the whole world" is just sooo ??? u do realize new delhi has been recording temperatures higher than 45 degree celcius for a second year in a row. this isnt about british people at all??? the world is burning hello???? lmfao

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/02/pakistan-india-heatwaves-water-electricity-shortages

"Ahmed fears that things are only about to get worse. It was here, in 2021, that the world’s highest temperature for May was recorded, a staggering 54°C. This year, he said, feels even hotter. “Last week was insanely hot in Turbat. It did not feel like April,” he said."

that's 129°F btw

Also, it’s not the assholes whose houses are burning in britain - its the buildings of people who cant afford ac, have limited fireproofing and are most likely renting. Worldwide, it’s poor people who are struggling while rich people pay their way to survival.

 Please think before you clown on the poor, thanks.

just found out that yesterday kim kardashian’s private jet produced 61 tons of CO2 emissions. over the last week drake’s private jet flights produced 182 tons of CO2 emissions. like what is even the point any more

the average person produces 7 tons of CO2 in a year. it would take the average person 9 years to produce as much CO2 as kim kardashian did in 1 day, or 26 years to produce as much CO2 as drake did in 1 week. is there actually any point in trying to go vegetarian? or cycling to work instead of driving? we will never be able to undo the damage of just private jet emissions at this rate

Rare W for climate change

I need UK journalists to not show 43 degrees is not beach weather like people are gonna die

Americans do not interact

Im Australian, and 43C is NOT beach weather. That is VERY hot, even for us, but for the UK its apocalyptic. At 43C you should not even be going outside if you can help it, treating it like beach weather is a one way ticket to heatstroke.

I agree with not going outside for long periods of time but you will have to plan something to reduce the heat within your households. Especially if your house is designed to retain heat

Fans pointed at open windows will pull out hot air and allow it to circulate - don't put them IN the window, leave some room by the side for extra air to get drawn in.

If you can't afford cold packs (and if you can, stock up on some NOW), get some ziplock bags and freeze them, with wet washcloths or ripped up towel inside. You want them to be ready in the freezer when you need them. Wrap them in a tea towel and put them on your wrists and ankles.

A big bowl of ice water in front of a fan will blow cold air into the room and make a massive difference. Again, if you don't have ice cube trays get some and freeze them *now*, don't wait until you're already in trouble (although I am melting at quarter past nine but my thermoregulation is bollocks so I don't know if that's the heat or just the me). If you can't afford to get any, clean out empty yoghurt pots or Tupperware or whatever you have that can hold water. Even if you end up with a giant ice cube from a lunchbox, it'll help.

Even just opening two windows at a crack will allow some air circulation - I sometimes prop open my bedroom door and leave the bathroom door open, both windows are locked at a crack because of the cats but it creates a nice little line of wind along the landing.

If you're someone who needs something on them to sleep, take your duvet out of the cover and just use the cover.

Remember that water acts as a lens - you do NOT want to wear a wet t shirt in the burning sun. I did this when I was 8 and if I tan on my back you can still see the scars.

Read the instructions for sunscreen carefully, and use the highest spf you can find. Reapply as per the instructions. If you get burned, Malibu do an amazing aloe-based spray on after sun, I got mine from Savers for 3 quid and it lasts ages. I keep it and any other after sun in the fridge, which means it's incredibly lovely to put on. Aloe is magic for burns so definitely gravitate towards that if you can. My son got badly burned (he's ginger, he went to an outdoor pool and they forgot to give him sunscreen) and he's had 2 helpings of it and you wouldn't believe how much better he is (he couldn't even really wear a shirt).

Make sure your pets have plenty of fresh cold water to drink, and if they usually have dry food consider giving them some wet food for one of their meals (cats are notoriously not always great drinkers but wet food will get them some liquid). Keep the curtains and/or blinds closed in south-facing rooms. I have blackout curtains in the front room and the front bedroom (my son's) and they make a MASSIVE difference to the heat. Make sure pets have access to these cooler spaces if you can create them.

Keep oven/hob use to a minimum if you can. I like making a massive pot of something that can be reheated in the microwave if necessary - the oven especially adds a lot of heat. Or get some wraps and ham and cheese and eat those.

Cordial or fruit juice can be better than water if you're sweating a lot. Cordial is cheap as chips. Salty snacks are also good.

Go to Iceland and buy a billion lolly ices. It's especially a good way to make sure kids stay hydrated.

I realize op asked for Americans not to interact, and whether or not they're being cheeky, I feel obligated to reblog this to save lives.

That temperature is absolutely murder, even moreso with humidity.

Please, be safe and stay hydrated!

For reference, 43 degrees celsius is roughly equivalent to 109.4 degrees fahrenheit. That’s bad.

this thread on twitter has some excellent advice too that I can attest to working wonderfully!

Absolutely fucking shameful that I can google "how to find tornado shelters" or "[location] storm shelters" and instead of getting lists of emergency shelters organized by local, state, and federal governments, I get. . . ads for companies to build family shelters.

I keep saying it, but the disaster preparation and response in the US is completely left up to individual families and it's horrifying. And when it comes to tornadoes, if you don't have a basement or other shelter, your government's recommendation is to basically tell you to pray instead of offering communal shelters. This hasn't changed even while tornadoes are getting worse and worse throughout all the country and especially the midwest.

"Have an emergency plan, with an evacuation kit and somewhere to take shelter." But WHERE are those shelters? And why are our governments not helping their communities prepare?

I dont want to get too off topic on this blog but since this is a somewhat big platform I want to talk about whats going on as we are facing the climate crisis head on.

Thousands of scientists all over the world are currently on protest in tears. No media is bringing this up. We should be seeing news about NASA scientists being arrested for asking to be heard but instead it is silent. Scientists say we have 3 years left to stop everything, we have the answers, but our governments arent listening. That we need to stop all new projects. Over 110,000+ new fossil fuel projects have been signed off in 2022. That should be concerning. Oil, gas and coal need to be stopped if we want a chance at survival and it needs to be talked about. We have 3 years, we have answers, we have alternatives and we need to government to act now. Theres a man on hunger strike just so the government will read the latest IPCC report. Just to look at a scientific document. They cant even do that.

A woman from Just Stop Oil was one of the only interviews in media ive seen as of recent, where she was mocked for her clothes and not given the chance to truly speak on the science as she was interrupted to be told her ego is too big. It was a copy and paste situation to the interview from the movie Dont Look Up. This response of mockery over a genuine concern for humanity should terrify all of us.

Despite Bidens word, he has signed off more new oil, gas and coal works.

Did you know that Congo just sold more oil blocks in their rainforest and river.

Maximum temperatures in India and Pakistan have been continuously over 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) for almost two weeks. Thats 10 celsius more than average.

The arctic passed over 30 degrees celsius this past month. Both sides of the earths ice experiencing heat waves. The arctic is bubbling METHANE.

And so so so so much more from flooding, new oil sign offs, etc.

If you are in a country thats just about to start elections, please look into parties that will do their part for the climate crisis. If you are not signed to vote, enrol asap. If youre in Australia, like me, you can enrol here by TODAY. (And maybe look into our third party system and what the greens have to offer? But i didnt tell you that..)

Look into protest groups like the Extinction Rebellion and see what protests are hapening nearby and what you can do to help. This is quite literally life or death for humanity and we cant risk ignoring it and letting it be ignored. We have to educate ourselves on whats going on, get mad and fight it. Because media is refusing to let us know of the doom were facing if our government continues to support oil, gas and coal the way they are. This isnt to make you feel doom, but encourage you to act to prevent doom.

"... “I’m taking action because I feel desperate,” said U.S. climate scientist Peter Kalmus, who along with several others locked himself to the front door of a JPMorgan Chase building in Los Angeles. A recent report found that the financial giant is the biggest private funder of oil and gas initiatives in the world.

“It’s the 11th hour in terms of Earth breakdown, and I feel terrified for my kids, and terrified for humanity,” Kalmus continued. “World leaders are still expanding the fossil fuel industry as fast as they can, but this is insane. The science clearly indicates that everything we hold dear is at risk, including even civilization itself and the wonderful, beautiful, cosmically precious life on this planet. I actually don’t get how any scientist who understands this could possibly stay on the sidelines at this point.” ..."

Every single denialist depends on the idea that big brother government and climate scientists are on the same side so how do they even begin to fit this into their delusion?

most damaging idea of the 21st century: the conviction of vast numbers of people that human history will end within our lifetimes

climate change represents world-altering tragedy if unchecked, but not even in the worst-case scenario does it mean “literally everyone dies”

yet so many people have jumped already to “it’s over, the world is going to end, we can do nothing about it” and are just paralyzingly cynical. How do I explain that the power to imagine a future is essential for creating it

you know the thing where trauma can cause you to just. not expect to live much longer so when you get to 30 you don’t know what to do because you thought you’d be dead by 25

That is happening to all of us right now on a society-wide scale

A lot of people are like. REALLY angry at me for suggesting that “be depressed and do nothing” isn’t necessarily the only response to climate change.

this, this, this, this, this, this, and like, 700 other sources will tell you that most of the effects of climate change will be reversible even if we pass the ‘threshold’ of a 1.5 degrees Celsius increase in global temperature

BUT. Even if the worst happens, it will be important to be doing things other than wallowing in misery???

I’m not trying to be callous but for people living today it’s wildly unlikely for the results to be “literally immediate death.”

People will get displaced from their homes by rising sea levels. We have like, years, probably decades, before that happens. It seems so fucked up to decide that we should do nothing, because we’ve already decided they’re going to die anyway????

If a bunch of us are going to die, why not die trying to help each other? Why not try to make sure fewer people die? Why not do something that might reduce someone’s suffering or give them food or clean water or a place to sleep?

I don’t know how to explain to you that people need socks during the apocalypse

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

This heatwave is starting to get terrifying:

Tagging: @politicsofcanada​

For all Americans keeping track 50c is around 123f i think. It’s what the summer temps in Arizona and New Mexico are like usually.

And for anyone who would like to say “lol that’s just summer here, nbd,” these are places where homes and most businesses do not generally have air conditioning. It doesn’t get hot enough during the summer to have a/c. Care homes might not have a/c in individual rooms. People are going to die from this. Forests are going to burn because of this.

Texan here.

Put foil on your windows and block with heavy blankets or curtains to keep sunlight out, that’s where the majority of your cool air leaves.

If you can’t get a hold of fans buy ice packs and stuff the freezer with em, you can place wrap them in towels and place them on pulse points on your body to keep you cool and avoid heat stroke.

If you do have a fan place a bowl of ice behind it to spread that cold air around the room

Wear your lightest clothing both in fabric and color WEAR LONG SLEEVES IN A LOOSE LIGHTWEIGHT FABRIC IT TRAPS SWEAT AND IT KEEPS YOU COOL, heat is attracted to dark colors.

Drink water no matter how thirsty you are, mix in gatorade to keep electrolytes up. Try to avoid ice cold though because it causes your body to heat up even more.

I hope this helps any of my Canadian followers. Some of us Texans still suffer so help these tips we use down here help ya’ll up there.

So it IS true that “this is just summer” where I am, but that means I know survival things you don’t and y’all were very kind to Texans during the polar vortex so from an Arizonan to all my overheating Canadians:

1) strip down to nothing. Pick out a light shirt and pants. (I like pajama pants for this.) Put them on. NO UNDERWEAR, it’ll make the next step suck. Now go get in a cool shower. Yes, with your clothes on. You can sit on a towel when you get out if you have cloth furniture. If you have long hair, use this opportunity to braid and bun it. It’ll stay wet longer, and keep you cooler.

2) stay indoors as much as possible.

3) If you have box fans, put a tub of ice water behind each one and aim it toward the ceiling on a 45-degree angle. Cool air sinks, so this will help circulation in your space and keep it cooler.

4) try to sleep during the day, if you can—body temperature automatically lowers during sleep. Dampen your top sheet and sleep under only that, in the nude if your living situation allows.

5) NO SODA. NO COFFEE. NO TEA. If you must drink these things, keep it to a minimum. In extremely hot weather, they can dehydrate you (especially soda).

6) find a friend or family member you can check in with at least once a day. Extreme heat can make you sluggish and disoriented even if you’re not in danger of overheating. Having someone to touch base with can help keep you engaged.

7) plan cold meals and do any necessary cooking at night. If you can stay awake this long, 2-3am will be the coolest part of the night and the most ideal for cooking. You’ll want lots of things like sandwiches, cut fruit, meat and veg that you like when they’re cold. Cooking during the day will heat up the house and you won’t want what you’ve made because it’s warm.

8) in the same vein, plan on 5-6 small meals rather than three moderate-to-large ones. You’ll find that you’re not actually all that hungry, and it’ll be easier to have a sandwich now and another in two hours than to eat a soup and sandwich and fruit right now. If you have an eating disorder and eating this way concerns you for your recovery, find a buddy to check in with, and remember: THIS IS HEALING. This is allowing your body to digest small amounts at a time so it’s not overwhelmed by unusual heat. You are eating the same amount overall, just in smaller bits.

9) buckle your seatbelts when you get out of the car, and if you have to park outside, leave your windows open by a couple of centimeters. This will prevent heat buildup (the hottest I’ve ever registered the inside of my car was 142 degrees—about 61C). If you have access to a piece of cardboard, put it inside your windshield to block out the sun. It really does help.

Stay safe, friends. Take care.

as a fellow Arizonan, i turn nocturnal in the summer. Legit the only way to survive in mid-summer.

Temperature wise- 3-6am is the good time to be outside, 11pm-3am is okay but not great, like 7-11am is okay.

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, GO OUTSDE BETWEEN 1-5PM. This is the HOTTEST part of the day. You don’t want to be outside then, unless you have to be. Or you’re swimming. If you’re swiming- PUT ON SUNSCREEN. It doesn’t matter if you sunburn or not, you put on sunscreen. Typically sunscreen lasts an hour, so be aware of that and try and stay in the shade anyways.

Anyways it was 113° earlier and the wind feels like it’s from an oven, rn it’s 110° but we’re managing to keep the house 79° + fans

All of this is useful, but I want to mention that the further north you are the hottest part of the day may be later. I was in London, UK during a heatwave one summer and was always caught off guard by the timing of the heat. I’m from a place where it always gets hot in the summer and the hottest part of the day is between 12 - 4 pm. In London, the hottest part of the day didn’t start until 4pm.

Do all the things listed above, but be aware of your location and how it might affect the timing of the day’s heat.

Another Arizonan here!

Put your feet in water and/or get your hands wet. Even with room temperature water, it will help cool your body down.

If you do have to go outside for any reason, try and find some shade. It may not feel like it, but it does make a difference. And if you are outside for swimming, WEAR SUNSCREEN. I cannot stress how important this is. Make sure you drink some water while you are swimming too. You can still get dehydrated.

If you do get a sunburn, crush and dissolve some aspirin in some water and use a cotton ball or something like that to put it on your burn skin. Aloe is also a good solution. It is EXTRA important that you stay hydrated when you have a sunburn. You need to keep your skin hydrated so it doesn’t crack and peel as much. And your body is already trying to get rid of heat and it takes water to do that.

Something you can do to stay cool if you don’t have ac is getting towels and/or washcloths wet and freeze them. You can sit on them or use them as a cooling pack of you get overheated. Make sure you aren’t putting frozen things directly against your skin for long periods of time.

If you start to feel dizzy and you start to loose your bearings, like your vision going dark or your heartbeat rising in your ears and not being able to hear anything, GET WATER IMMEDIATELY. You are overheating and your body is shutting down systems in order to keep the important stuff working. If you can, rest until you feel well again. Maybe eat some food as well.

Air circulation is important. If you don’t have ac, keep a steady air flow through your house. Open windows and doors if you can. It might still be hot air, but having a steady air flow is much cooler than sitting air.

If you live/work in a building that is multiple stories, stay on the lower floors. Heat rises.

That’s all I have for now but stay safe everyone!!

Arizona, coming through with the advice!

I FORGOT ONE. AN IMPORTANT ONE.

THE PEE GAUGE.

You should be going pee every 2-3 hours. This keeps your kidneys healthy. Healthy pee should be clear (it MIGHT be cloudy or bright yellow if you have excess amounts of vitamins, this is a feature not a bug) and smell quite mild.

If you aren’t peeing all that often, or your pee is dark yellow and has a strong smell, YOU AREN’T DRINKING ENOUGH. If three hours have passed and you have no urge to pee, go drink a glass of water immediately. You have no idea how much water you’re sweating out (it’s more than you think, A LOT more), and if your body doesn’t have enough water left to make pee, that’s a problem.

Just to clarify one thing:

“For all Americans keeping track 50c is around 123f i think. It’s what the summer temps in Arizona and New Mexico are like usually.”

50 C is 122 F, which is the all-time record high temperature in Phoenix. This kind of heat isn’t normal even down here in the desert.

This tweet from scientist Jacquelyn Gill (@JacqelynGill) went viral, and for good reason. The war on science continues, and she summed up this story perfectly into 3 sentences on Twitter. 

Read the full article: http://bit.ly/2AxVBf3

Take action to keep standing up for science: http://bit.ly/2gOFm5N

No words can describe how much this angers the crap out of me.