It has undeniably gotten hotter during my lifetime. I’ve also observed there seem to be more severe storms, droughts, fires, floods, tornados and hurricanes. Having spent my entire life in Pennsylvania, Florida and North Carolina, I have personally experienced “once in 100 year” and “never in recorded history” weather events.
Is this due to fossil fuel usage driving up C02 levels and increasing the planets temperatures? I suspect that is true based on the overwhelming consensus from scientists, climatologists and experts I’ve read about.
But regardless of what I believe is the cause, I cannot do anything that will make one iota of difference. I can’t change big oil. I cannot change government policies in the US or abroad. I cannot have an impact on the energy consumption third world countries. Recycling my trash does next to nothing. Trying to limit my meager personal consumption and energy usage won’t have an impact on anything except my own feelings. My vote and political opinions have never made a difference.
So how do I deal with climate change?
I deal with it the same way humans have dealt with climate/weather related crises since the dawn of time. When it gets bad enough, I’ll migrate. Or die.
In the interim, I make changes in my life to deal with it.
I left Florida, in part, because the hurricanes and flooding were making home insurance unacceptably high. It’s been a disaster in the making for over 20 years and only getting worse. In the 12 years I lived n Florida, I saw king tides flood the streets during the winter – in non-hurricane season. I lived through several tropical storms and hurricanes that made my life miserable and inconvenient while devastating some communities.
I didn’t relocate to Arizona or California. Both states appealed to me for their mild winters. In California’s case, a nearly ideal Mediterranean climate, its tech industry and the political leanings were appealing too.
But, I’ve watched wildfires in California increase from a few each year during “fire season” to happening year round. I’ve watched Arizona summer temps exceed 100 degrees on a regular basis and read reports of severe water shortages.
I’ve avoided living on the coasts because I’m not putting myself in an area extremely vulnerable to hurricanes and floods.
Here in NC, our summer temperatures seem to be getting worse. Lately we’ve had days where the temperatures are in the upper 90s. We also have frequent severe summer storms and each year have multiple warnings from hurricanes and tropical storms that pass over the state.
Fortunately, thus far for me, the worst of these storms have only resulted in short term power outages, minor flooding and tree limbs down. In other parts of the state, damage has been more severe.
If it becomes bad enough where houses have to install hurricane windows, roof strapping, be constructed of cement block and suffer through multiple hurricanes threats each year like Florida, I’ll leave.
For me, climate change is not a political issue. There’s nothing to argue about. I don’t care what others believe. I can see with my own eyes that things are changing and while I cannot change the world, I can change my little world.
I’m hopeful that it won’t be bad enough that I need to move. But, if it gets to that point, I will.