One Nation, Under Heat and Shade
SCIENCE TELLS US unequivocally that the world is getting hotter: The past six years have been the warmest on record. Each of us may note this differently. For me, it’s the birds that no longer migrate south in the winter; I see them all year long now. And why in the world is the forsythia blooming in January? Ultimately, to solve global warming, we must drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Part one of this month’s cover story package addresses that challenge. It looks at heat and how humans—who evolved during the past 10,000 years in an average air temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit—must adapt to a steamy new reality but also work to mitigate it. Part two of the package explores a low-tech, immediate solution to heat: shade. We’re well aware of its…