It’s always amusing to see whenever the Bay Area experiences a heatwave, San Francisco remains a mild and comfortable mid-60s. Thank the heavens for our marine layer, nature’s air conditioning for our city. This is why we pay the big bucks to live here, despite the fact the same money can go much further elsewhere. Upper 90s every single day during the summer months? That can’t be me.
What I do wonder is how much longer this natural air conditioning of ours will last. Climate change is happening right before our eyes in scary high definition. There’s unprecedentedly massive flooding in parts of Germany, China, and Great Britain. Just last month I traveled to Seattle during its historic, record-shattering heatwave. We are sitting way too comfortably here in San Francisco to not worry when it is our turn to feel the wrath of the climate gods.
Of course it’s rather useless to think about things we have no control over. The best we can do is limit our own burden onto the environment. We use reusable bottles for our drinks, and we bring our own bags to the shops. San Francisco mandates proper garbage sorting. The trucks that comes to collect actually have separate compartments for recycling and compost.
One of the big drivers of climate change is the passenger car. Lately I’ve often contemplated about selling my BMW M2 for something fully electric. The internal conversation stops once I remember that I actually don’t have a commute. I pollute nothing into the atmosphere because I walk. The few weekend trips to the shops isn’t worth buying a brand new car. Keep in mind, automotive production requires lots of material and energy. You can’t discount that when you want to go green by switching to electric.
It’s better for the environment that I keep the M2. Hooray!
Portland union.