As Summer 2023 continues to shatter heat records, climate change experts are talking about a “new abnormal.” Studies indicate that ecosystems are likely to rapidly collapse as extreme weather events caused by these heatwaves pile up, one on top of the other. Sky high temperatures are rendering cities like Phoenix, Arizona into borderline uninhabitable heat domes....
Originally posted on salon.com
The fabric of American society — our car-centric city design, our predilection for single-family homes and our self-reliant culture — seems engineered to engender loneliness. COVID-19 didn’t help: during the pandemic, millions experienced real trauma due to the social isolation imposed during the lockdowns. Despite these easily observable realities, however, there nevertheless persists in our culture a tendency to view “loneliness” as an individual problem, not a public health problem (and therefore a social problem)....
Originally posted on salon.com
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a chilling, new chapter in American history, as its repercussions extended beyond public health and into the realms of politics and culture. In addition to the death toll (at the time of this writing, over 1 million in this country and nearly 6.7 million worldwide), the pandemic has created mass psychological trauma, fueled reactionary movements and even contributed to then-President Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election. ...
Originally posted on salon.com
Ever since cats were first domesticated by human beings, human society has been permeated by feral cats — namely, domesticated cats that do not have owners and avoid human contact. While domesticated cats love humans and enjoy our company, feral cats are defined by how they behave more like wild animals....
Originally posted on salon.com