The proof is in the pudding or, in this case, in the heat and graveyards, the article Earth is overheating. Millions are already feeling the pain. (Links to an external site.) reveals that people of the poorer class are suffering from the consequences of humanity, specifically the heat. This is not just an issue identified to one country in particular but worldwide. This article also brings in another matter that those with less money have suffered from more than those of wealth, and that is Covid. This article shows us that those with less money are pushed aside in many respects, which is just as big a problem as the environment itself.
The evidence that is provided varies. Through data and a wide range of interviews, one can conclude that this is true. The reader is immersed into the lives of 6 individuals where photography and discussion reveal that extreme heat is not a problem for the future but a problem of the past and very much the present. Not only for the planet but also those with less protection from the heat, as this quote explains, “Episodes of extreme humid heat at levels the human body cannot tolerate for many hours at a time have more than doubled in frequency since 1979, according to a recent scientific paper. South Asia and the Gulf Coast of the United States are among the places hardest hit. Sweat can’t evaporate as fast. The body can’t cool down.”
It is hard to ignore the turmoil glazed through each and every photo intertwined throughout this piece. Most people need a visual to understand the emotion behind the words. The photographers did a great job capturing the essence of what this means for those experiencing extreme heat and poverty. The images provide depth, evidence, understanding, and a truth that is indelible for those living it.
When your eyes leave the page one question begs to be answered- can humans that are not suffering firsthand from these environmental woes empathize enough to change their ways for the betterment of others and the planet? Furthermore, has Covid-19 and the media’s silence on this crisis shown us that empathy has been lost? Some might argue that these people choose to live this way or that it is not because of fossil fuels that Earth is overheating. This way of thinking is how we got to this point. There is no other argument besides opinion, and while opinions are respected, opinions are not facts.
