OPINION: Global warming is changing the environment

Gentle rain is needed in spring, with hot sun in summer, says Anthony Bernard. <i>(Image: Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority)</i>
Gentle rain is needed in spring, with hot sun in summer, says Anthony Bernard. (Image: Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority)
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Global warming is changing the environment as well as our routines, and is unlikely to be reversed any time soon.

Octopuses are now invading our fishing grounds, eating shellfish that we would normally enjoy.

Calamari is a delicacy in the Mediterranean, but will it replace cod and haddock in chip shops.

The two largest economies of the world, the United States and China, are both bubbling with greenhouse gases from burning coal and oil.

Our British attempt at net carbon zero in a few years' time will have little effect on the overall result.

The change in weather also endangers our farmers and food supply.

Gentle rain is needed in spring, with hot sun in summer.

The ecology of insects is changing, too, and Mediterranean hornets are now arriving here and attacking our bees.

Present American policy focuses on short-term advantage, with slogans such as "drill, baby, drill" being used to contradict any reduction in burning oil or coal.

The hotter the climate becomes, the more US businesses will benefit from sales of air conditioning and the greater demand for energy to drive it.

China is busy building its economy, making batteries and electric cars, and using energy from coal-fired power stations.

British attempts at reducing emissions lead to the purchase of Chinese batteries, whose production burns lots of fossil fuels.

Our symbolic gesture forward is actually a step backwards, measured by carbon footprint!

Of course, we want to set an example, but it is an uphill struggle to derail the American MAGA movement or resist Chinese economic expansion.

So we better get used to warm, wet winters and hot, dry summers with torrential flooding from time to time.

Water will become a precious commodity, as it is in many desert parts of the world today.

Water storage in reservoirs will become even more critical; the ability to share resources between areas that flood and regions routinely in drought will become important.

The Romans understood this years ago, building aqueducts which were not necessary in Roman Britain.

They may be needed in future modern Britain.

"Save water, drink beer," was a slogan a few years back.

It takes several pints of water to produce a pint of beer, with washing bottles included.

So we will have to adopt more saving strategies.

In dry and desert countries, these habits are part of the culture.

Keeping cool is another skill we need.

In East Devon, we have sea breezes, in which hot air rising inland draws in cool air from the sea by day and reverses overnight.

For those of us with two sides to our homes, windows opened equally front and back or even at the sides, with intermediate doors kept open, allow the sea breezes to blow through.

Hot air rises.

Opening windows high up lets the hot air out with openings at the bottom allowing cool air in for a refreshing circulation.

Opening just the top or the bottom stops trapped air from circulating.

Dark surfaces absorb heat; white paint is best.

We all need to support and take care of each other as we adapt to this changing climate, and all the other doubtful "whether" reports we see in the news.

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