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Science

Watching this UK meteorologist interview next to a scene from 'Don't Look Up' is chilling

Climate change denialism really is absurd.

climate change, weather, u.k.

A British meteorologist tries to convince a news anchor that the heat wave is serious.

The U.K. has officially shattered its all-time high-temperature record in the heat wave that's sweeping across Europe. On July 19, the Associated Press reported that the U.K. Met Office weather agency had registered a provisional reading of 40.3 C (104.5 F). The previous record set in 2019 was 38.7 C (101.7 F), nearly three degrees cooler.

For context, normal high temps in the U.K. in July hover around 20 C (high 60s to low 70s F).

Everyone knew the heat wave was coming. In the week prior, social media was filled with tips for staying cool—both genuine and joking—as well as far too many comments writing off Brits as wimps for not being able to handle the heat. As a British TikTok user explained during last year's heat wave, the British Isles do not have the infrastructure for 90 or 100-degree temperatures. Their buildings are designed to retain heat, not repel it. Air conditioning is rare. Humidity makes the heat even more oppressive. And people simply aren't physically conditioned for it, accustomed as their bodies are to moderate temperatures.


Heat waves are serious and dangerous. Meteorologists warned that even this short wave would lead to deaths. Axios has reported that more than 1,900 have died in Spain and Portugal from extreme heat in the past couple of weeks. Now that the heat has hit northern Europe, we'll see the toll from there over the coming weeks.

Climate scientists have also warned us for years that unchecked climate change would lead to more extreme weather events, such as more frequent and severe storms, wildfires, droughts and temperature fluctuations. Sure, there have been heat waves in the past, but not as extreme as this and not breaking records as frequently as they have been in recent years.

Climate change is already here, we're seeing the impact of it already and some people are still in denial. Case in point: A startling exchange on British television between an anchor and a meteorologist.

Ben Phillips shared the segment paired up with a famous scene from "Don't Look Up" in which Jennifer Lawrence's character is trying to get the interviewers to understand the gravity of what she was saying, only to be met with a disturbingly light-hearted brush-off. The comparison is chilling. Watch:

People responded with some predictable "We're doomed" commentary, but really we should see this clip as a wake-up call. We need to understand that there will be people in positions of power and influence who will attempt to downplay the seriousness of what we face as a planet, but that doesn't mean they will succeed in convincing the masses. If anything, this clip perfectly demonstrates how climate change denial is so obviously absurd as to be totally dismissible.

We're not helpless here. We have a voice and we have a vote, and we need to use them to influence the people in power to take meaningful action to mitigate climate change. Easier said than done, of course, but the alternative is as unthinkable as the meteor hurtling toward the earth in "Don't Look Up." Only in that case, solutions were harder to find than with climate change. We know what needs to be done. We just have to find the collective will to do it.

Planet

Easy (and free!) ways to save the ocean

The ocean is the heart of our planet. It needs our help to be healthy.

Ocean Wise

Volunteers at a local shoreline cleanup

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The ocean covers over 71% of the Earth’s surface and serves as our planet’s heart. Ocean currents circulate vital heat, moisture, and nutrients around the globe to influence and regulate our climate, similar to the human circulatory system. Cool, right?

Our ocean systems provide us with everything from fresh oxygen to fresh food. We need it to survive and thrive—and when the ocean struggles to function healthfully, the whole world is affected.

Pollution, overfishing, and climate change are the three biggest challenges preventing the ocean from doing its job, and it needs our help now more than ever. Humans created the problem; now humans are responsible for solving it.

#BeOceanWise is a global rallying cry to do what you can for the ocean, because we need the ocean and the ocean needs us. If you’re wondering how—or if—you can make a difference, the answer is a resounding YES. There are a myriad of ways you can help, even if you don’t live near a body of water. For example, you can focus on reducing the amount of plastic you purchase for yourself or your family.

Another easy way to help clean up our oceans is to be aware of what’s known as the “dirty dozen.” Every year, scientists release an updated list of the most-found litter scattered along shorelines. The biggest culprit? Single-use beverage and food items such as foam cups, straws, bottle caps, and cigarette butts. If you can’t cut single-use plastic out of your life completely, we understand. Just make sure to correctly recycle plastic when you are finished using it. A staggering 3 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans annually. Imagine the difference we could make if everyone recycled!

The 2022 "Dirty Dozen" ListOcean Wise

If you live near a shoreline, help clean it up! Organize or join an effort to take action and make a positive impact in your community alongside your friends, family, or colleagues. You can also tag @oceanwise on social if you spot a beach that needs some love. The location will be added to Ocean Wise’s system so you can submit data on the litter found during future Shoreline Cleanups. This data helps Ocean Wise work with businesses and governments to stop plastic pollution at its source. In Canada, Ocean Wise data helped inform a federal ban on unnecessary single-use plastics. Small but important actions like these greatly help reduce the litter that ends up in our ocean.

Ocean Wise, a conservation organization on a mission to restore and protect our oceans, is focused on empowering and educating everyone from individuals to governments on how to protect our waters. They are making conservation happen through five big initiatives: monitoring and protecting whales, fighting climate change and restoring biodiversity, innovating for a plastic-free ocean, protecting and restoring fish stocks, and finally, educating and empowering youth. The non-profit believes that in order to rebuild a resilient and vibrant ocean within the next ten years, everyone needs to take action.

Become an Ocean Wise ally and share your knowledge with others. The more people who know how badly the ocean needs our help, the better! Now is a great time to commit to being a part of something bigger and get our oceans healthy again.

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The hobby has caught the attention of law enforcement and government agencies because urban waterways are a popular place for criminals to drop weapons and stolen items after committing a crime. In 2019, a magnet fisherman in Michigan pulled up an antique World War I mortar grenade and the bomb squad had to be called out to investigate.


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