Increasing droughts, floods, heat waves, infectious diseases, storm surges on coastlines, and water shortages are predicted for the US and Canada as a result of global warming. The most threatened areas in the US are the Southwest, California, Alaska, the Atlantic coast, and the Gulf Coast. That’s about half of the country geographically and way more than half in terms of population.
Plus, the changes are happening faster than anticipated and water could become scarce.
Also on Monday, 11 retired U.S. generals and admirals said that worldwide water shortages caused by global warming were a “serious threat to America’s national security” and might drag the U.S. into fights over shortages of natural resources.
Hmmm, the only place the US could get extra water from is Canada… Be scared Canada, be very scared. And tell me, why a water shortage elsewhere would “drag” the US into a fight is something explicable only to imperialists, but then, they’ve never needed much excuse to invade other countries anyway.
What happens when major US cities become seriously impacted by heat, drought, floods, and disease? It won’t be business as normal anymore. Nor will it be a short-term thing that will somehow reverse itself in a year or so. What will the impact be to Los Angeles or Houston when they have serious long-term water shortages?
Increased temperatures means more use of air conditioning, which in turn means that more electrical power is needed. In Los Angeles, the grid is already maxed out during summer heat waves. Captain,the engines canna take it much more.
Conservation on many levels is what’s needed. Smarter appliances that use less power. CFLs instead of incandescents. Mandated cutbacks on water use. No, you can’t have a gorgeous green grass lawn if you live in a semi-arid desert. Lawns are water pigs. Ditto for golf courses in deserts (and there are hundreds of them.) Shut them down. Low mpg gas hog passenger cars? Ban them.
Much of the coming needed changes will have to be government mandated because business and people won’t do it voluntarily. That’s just the reality of what’s coming.