Thomas Friedman wrote a book a few years ago. “Hot, Flat and Crowded.” It’s about global warming and ways to deal with it. It’s a good read. It might be time for me to revisit it.
I’m enjoying my time off in Montana. While it’s not flat here, it’s definitely hot and crowded. Folks are traveling again. Tons of people in this little town of Whitefish. I’ve been coming here for years and haven’t seen traffic like this.
They are even requiring reservations to get into Glacier National Park. “Travel & Leisure” reports that it’s one of many requiring a reservation for its Going-to-the Sun road this year. Thankfully, I have been to the Sun here before. It’s beautiful. Breathtaking. I’ll do it again in a less crowded year.
It’s the hot part of all this that bothers me though. It’s hot here. Hotter than I remember it. Locals say it’s hotter than they remember it too.
A very unscientific observation about it. I’ve always been able to see some snow on the top of the mountains here. None this year.
I know that we can argue all day if humans created climate change. I choose to believe we have had a lot to do with it. That said, no one can deny that it’s getting hotter.
In all my years in Florida, we never had a hurricane season like last year. This year, might top it.
The oceans are just too warm. Fuel for storms. I’m still watching spaghetti models for tropical storm Elsa.
I just worry what we have done to the planet. I’m also beginning to think that we have done some things we can’t fix.
Back to crowded… I am endlessly fascinated by this elephant migration across China. The elephant is my spirit animal. (If I don’t stop eating, I’ll become one.) Love them. Love their societal ways. Really complicated creatures.
As much fun as it is to watch them roam across China, it’s concerning as to why it may be happening. NBC news reports one theory is that human encroachment may be causing them to look for a new place to live.
I hope they find their way. I hope we all do. Hot and crowded. It’s going to be a long summer. Now, back to those spaghetti models.
Update. Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post has a Great column about all this. Read it here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/07/05/climate-scientists-warned-us-when-will-we-listen/