Hot Summer Incoming!

By Lyvia Maloa

The sweltering heat of California’s winter has caught the attention of many, hitting an all time high of 108 in SoCal. So, how did this happen and why is it starting to become such a large issue as the years progress?

Global warming

Global warming is caused by human activities which leads to long-term shifts in temperature or weather patterns. It continues to grow through over consumption, generating power, and even using transportation. This issue persists and gets worse as our technology advances and the need for energy grows; but our energy supplies stay the same. And, as AI uses up more and more of our water supplies, there’s nothing left to cool the natural world.

The specific heat wave in SoCal was caused due to high pressures and lack of cooling winds that blow from the Pacific Ocean. In summary, the pressure built up made it so California was an oven, and the lack of natural air conditioner made it so the heat built up from said pressure couldn’t go away. Resulting in temperature degrees over the 90’s.

What can we do about this?

As students, our voices aren’t usually heard by large corporations or government officials. But, there are some small things you can do in your everyday life in order to help out with this cause. This can be through small things. Energy wise, you can take short showers, turn off the lights when they aren’t needed, and start to walk or bike to get around. Things you and your family can do is recycle, run appliances on low power mode (such as dishwashers), and replace incandescent with fluorescent bulbs (which can also save a lot of money). You can also choose to use less AI or not use it at all!