Cramm for 7/30/21
THE HIGHLIGHTS
A new analysis is showing the mortal cost of climate change.
THE BACKGROUND.
For years, scientists have been warning that the earth is getting warmer. Because, rising greenhouse gas emissions. That extra heat comes with a long list of repercussions, such as higher ocean levels, extreme weather, disease, famine, and other fun stuff like that.
THE HAPPENINGS.
Yesterday, the results from the first analysis of the mortal cost of carbon emissions came out. It’s very, very bad. See: the lifestyles of 3.5 average Americans will create enough carbon emissions to prematurely kill one person. It’s even worse for just a single coal-fired power plant, which would lead to more than 900 deaths. On the other hand, cutting planet-heating emissions by 2050 would save an expected 74 million lives around the world this century. You read that right.
THE DEETS.
The analysis also sheds light on the disparities in the consumption (and resulting emissions) of people from different countries. Remember that stat about it taking 3.5 Americans to kill one person? It’d take 25 Brazilians or 146 Nigerians to do the same. Not to mention this doesn’t even include deaths from all the other devastating effects of climate change, since it only accounts for heat-related deaths.
THE TAKE.
This is one of the starkest looks at the causes and impact of climate change yet.
THE ACTION
OLYMPICS: Here’s your daily update on the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. As of this writing, China and the US are pretty much neck-and-neck, with the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) rounding out the top three. The biggest moments? The US’s Sunisa Lee took the gold medal in the women’s gymnastics individual all-around finals after Simone Biles dropped out. She’s the first Hmong American to do so. ROC’s Evgeny Rylov set an Olympic record in the men’s 200-meter backstroke. South Africa’s Tatjana Shoenmaker broke a world record in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke. Stefanos Ntouskos became Greece's first Olympic rowing champion. And last but not least, track and field kicked off today in Tokyo.
CORONAVIRUS: Yesterday, Prez Biden grabbed the mic and announced that federal employees need to get the coronavirus vaccine or deal with regular testing, social distancing, mask requirements, and restrictions on most travel. The mandate will affect more than 4 million people. Also making headlines: Biden wants states and cities to hand $100 to anyone who gets vaccinated. Oh, and he wants the Defense Dept to make a move toward requiring vaccinations for all members of the military. In other news, the European Union is officially ahead of the US in vaccinations. Over in Puerto Rico, the gov announced a vaccine mandate for public employees. And in Israel, people over the age of 60 will get a third coronavirus vaccine shot.
DISASTERS: Recently, parts of eastern Afghanistan were hit with heavy rains, leading to flash floods in the middle of the night that buried people under mud and debris. At least 60 people - including kids - are said to be dead, but according to the Taliban, which currently holds that area, the death toll actually stands at 150. Meanwhile, southern Turkey is facing a string of forest fires that have left 3 people dead and 58 hospitalized. Multiple homes have burned down. Now, Turkish authorities are taking a magnifying glass to the cause of these fires. Meanwhile, over 80 million people across 20 states in the US are under heat warnings and advisories. That’s nearly a quarter of the US population.
WHAT TO KNOW
“Jetpack man:” who’s been spotted in Los Angeles for the fourth time in the last year.
SAY WHAT?
“Russia rocket mishap briefly nudges International Space Station out of position” - an actual headline. Moscow, we have a problem.
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