writeaboutwarming

July 22, 2013 – News stories about the recent heat wave in England may not, at first hearing, sound all that alarming to American ears.   Temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s constitute a very normal part of American summers, particularly in the middle of the country.    Grassfires measured in “football pitches” may cause quizzical looks, and not much more.   The fact remains, however, that nearly 800 people have died because of the ongoing abnormally high temperatures. First of all, anyone living at the latitude of the British Isles is simply not accustomed to hot temperatures.   It is true that the blood of people living in northern climates thickens, while the opposite occurs to people who live in the south.   We can be grateful this is true – it’s a natural defense against becoming too cold or too hot.   When “normal” gets stood on its head – and we are all becoming acquainted with how that feels – what “normally” works, doesn’t. It’s always...