I lay on the floor, with a wet towel over me. Panting from the heat. The power went out - probably due to increased air conditioning demands by other people. Or one of the many wild fires raging that day.
Morwell, VIC
In Victoria I sweltered in 46c degree heat. I cannot afford air conditioning — which also makes electricity use go up, therefore increasing climate damaging emissions. So I can’t ethically use it anyway. These temperatures are deadly.
And extreme weather events ARE becoming more common. – I’m 60 + years old and in my life I can see the damage increasing over time.
So I lay on the floor, with a wet towel over me. Panting from the heat. The power went out – probably due to increased air conditioning demands by other people. Or one of the many wild fires raging that day.
Later I went outside and sat under the tree, with my feet in a bucket of water. But i had to put some clothes on to do this…so not sure what was worse.
Many years ago I chose to Not have children. ( I am a woman) I am glad of that choice, and I worry desperately for my friends’ kids.
My asthma has gotten worse with each round of fire and smoke events. FAR too many.
My constant pain ( un-related ) increases my depression ( post trauma) And they both battle with my fears for my friends’ kids, and all the kids. I frequently cry for Greta Thunberg – and all the kids -she is so very good at speaking. I frequently cry for all the extinctions humans are causing.
I often argue with my wonderful psychologist that the world would be better off without my privileged and polluting “white” Australian existence.
– Bron
Hundreds of people from across the country are sharing their stories to send a clear message to the Australian government - it's time for real action on climate change.
Every story appears as a point on this map. Click around to read how climate change is affecting our communities, and add your own story to the map.
NASA: “97 percent or more of actively publishing climate scientists agree.” – https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/ Proof that humans cause current global warming in 16 words: Since 1800, atmospheric CO2 doubled; lacking heavy isotopes, it could only come from burning fossil fuels. (carbon deposits so old and protected, they’ve lost their heavy isotopes) Among many sources for this, see https://bit.ly/2QyJPtx especially IPCC Figure 3.9 “Climate models with and without human activities”.
People all across Australia are being harmed by climate change. These are some of their stories.