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The heatwave affected our daily lives
According to the African Climate and Development Initiative, the months from June to October were the hottest since the mid-1800s.
Joburgers are not used to the unbearable heat we have experienced recently. Photo: LENblR/iStock
I knew something was wrong when my wife’s normally solid body butter started melting in our house, during the day.
Then at night, I turned into a menopausal 40 year old, as I swear I was suffering from hot flushes. As a Joburger, I am just not used to the debilitating heat we have endured lately.
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It turns out I was not losing my mind at all. According to senior researcher at the African Climate and Development Initiative, Dr Christopher Trisos, the months from June to October this year were the hottest since the mid-1800s.
No wonder the body butter stood no chance. The rapid heating up of the world is being spurred on by the sheer amount of greenhouse gases that humans are releasing into the atmosphere.
Nature’s mechanisms of dealing with carbon simply cannot keep up, as we spew even more toxic gases into the air.
Can’t even hold hands
It has been so uncomfortably hot that relationships are now at risk, thanks to climate change. I have heard of couples not even holding hands during Eskom’s romantic stage 6 phases, all because their body heat is just too much for each other.
And do not think it is only Sibongile and Sipho’s relationship that is at risk, as these unprecedented high temperatures are a global phenomenon. Ryan and Rachel in the US might also be swiping right or left on Tinder very soon, if things do not cool down.
The 3 and 4 July this year were recorded as the earth’s hottest days consecutively, using data from the United States National Centres for Environmental Prediction.
ALSO READ: Heatwave hell to stay with us until Wednesday
And even with expensive, imported body butter melting, there are still some climate change denialists. Some are even going to attend the 28th Congress of the Parties climate change summit in Dubai, from tomorrow to 12 December.
This is where heads of state, organisations, climate activists and ordinary citizens will gather to try to come up with solutions to melting body butter – and climate change.
Affecting every part
This phenomenon is affecting every part of our lives, including economies, food prices and health. This week, the world’s largest iceberg in the Antarctic broke free and it is on the move.
This could have catastrophic consequences, such as increased water levels in the ocean, which will eventually runoff onto land.
And then we wonder why floods are happening more often.
