A United Methodist Insight Column
How can your church plan for its climate future? New tools from Climate Central can help.
Climate Central is offering a new free tool that can show your congregation what its likely summer temperatures will be by 2100. United Methodist Insight tested the tool, which operates using a database of major U.S. cities, by inputting our location in Dallas, Texas. The results are shown in the following graphic.
Shifting Cities
Climate Central Graphic
The organization offers its key concepts:
- New Climate Central analysis shows how warming could make summers in 247 U.S. cities feel like an entirely different part of the country—or the world—by 2100.
- The average summer warming by 2100 across all 247 cities is 8 °F.
- For many cities, 2100 summer temperatures will be more like conditions farther south—437 miles to the south on average.
- For 16 U.S. cities, their 2100 summer temperatures have no equivalent on the same continent; their future summers are more similar to locations in the Middle East and Egypt.
If your church would like to know more about what's being done to protect vulnerable U.S. populations, Climate Central recommends:
"Check out resources like the EPA guidebook for excessive-heat response, vulnerability-focused stories and projects from ISeeChange, and risk management strategies from the National Integrated Heat Health Information System."
Climate Central describes its entire process in this article, Shifting U.S. Cities. Definitely worth a look, especially for those folks who love to know the inner workings of its methodology. (After all, we are Methodists).
End of the necktie?
Speaking of heat waves, the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is trying to get his countrymen (and countrywomen, too, we presume) to ditch the necktie as a way to keep cool.
National Public Radio's new newsletter, Rough Translation, reports:
"The announcement came on a sweltering day late in July, as a historic heat wave engulfed much of Western Europe. Proudly displaying his own open collar, Sánchez told government ministers to leave their ties at home, and he asked Spanish business leaders to apply the same edict in their companies.
Guayabera
Rough Translation's Luis Trelles writes further: "Spain is not the only country in need of a respite. Extreme heat is increasingly common throughout the globe. From Shanghai to Texas, the summer hit us with a newfound vengeance. As more people search for a break from the sun, we look at ways to keep cool all over the world."
Lots of men used to dressing up for church can now ditch their neckties with confidence. Personally, we favor men switching to the handsome Latin garment, the guayabera, a short-sleeved shirt with beautiful embroidery, often in many easy-to-look-at pastel colors. Comfortable, fashionable, and cool in more ways than one.
Reminder: Just Energy 4 All webinar
Just Energy 4 All logo
There's still time to sign up for United Women in Faith's webinar 100% Renewable Energy Efforts- Part 2 Wednesday, August 17, from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. ET. UWF's director of mobilization and advocacy Elizabeth Chun Hye Lee will moderate a panel of five experts in energy and grassroots organizing. Sounds like it's worth the time investment.
Media Mentions as of Aug. 18, 2022
The United Methodist divorce is a mistake - The Christian Century
Russian-speaking congregation supports Ukrainian refugees - UM News
Methodists sending thousands of meals overseas - Neshoba Democrat
Traditional Methodists Search for New Path Forward - The Gospel Coalition
Double the blessings at Vincent United Methodist Church - Minot Daily News
Pastor, teacher, politician: How one woman juggles three big roles - Columbia Missourian
United Childcare and Preschool announces it will close doors at Asbury, FUMC – Argus Leader
'A sad decision' for NC State Fair: One of its most beloved food booths is going away – The News & Observer
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Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. "Crisis Watch" is part of Insight's contributions to Covering Climate Now, a worldwide collaboration of some 500 news outlets committed to enhance reporting on the climate crisis. To reproduce this content elsewhere, please email Insight for permission.