16 Aug 2024
Climate change is changing us
Three stories in one paper in one day tell a grim story of how our abuse of the environment is coming back to haunt us. A front-page story in The Globe and Mail said smoke from hundreds of forest fires in Western Canada was making the air so unhealthy that people were warned to avoid outdoor activities. In some Saskatchewan cities wildfire smoke drove the air pollution level to 10+, the highest point on the scale. On August 16 there were more than 900 fires burning across the country. Climate warming has made forests tinder dry. Last month a wildfire destroyed about one-third of the historic town of Jasper and is still burning in the park.
In the business section of the paper two stories facing each other tell an important story of how climate change is changing how we behave and how we will have to try to deal with growing crises. At a time of housing shortages and sky-high housing prices climate catastrophes are making things even worse. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed and thousands more damaged by fires and floods across Canada and in many other countries in recent years. Many people had no insurance or what they had did not cover all their costs. Insurance costs are going up as companies try to have enough money to pay for increasing damages. Some areas are being designated as flood zones where it will be very risky to rebuild.
Yet a third story shows a different piece of the climate disruption picture. Wildfires and heat waves in many countries are making conditions so uncomfortable that some tourists are avoiding warmer regions. Recently a giant wildfire burned close to Athens as Greece recorded its hottest ever June and July. The travel industry is now referring to “coolcations” with more people heading to northern Europe, Canada and Alaska.