Variations of this church sign seem to popular and sadly some congregations include dire warning about the likelihood of hell for those who aren't real Christians the way they are. A former parishioner with a good sense of humour sent this to me in the midst of our recent heat wave.
We did have a record week of plus-30 temperatures with at least a week more of hot days before us. This weather is a mixed blessing. Our peppers and tomatoes love it, but we don't, and there is that uneasy feeling that rather than being an aberration it is the ominous sign of things to come.
I am grateful that during that stretch there wasn't a single Smog Day, and we've had very few for several years now in Ontario. When we returned to this province from Nova Scotia fifteen years ago smog warnings were a regular part of the summer months in Southern Ontario. You could see the haze and feel it -- I had a persistent cough a couple of those summers -- and it was quite literally a killer for some people with respiratory problems.
Chinese Playground on an intense smog day
While I was no fan of the gross violations of public trust by now decimated Liberal party when they were in government we should applaud the decision to phase out coal-fired power plants in Ontario. It has resulted in a significant reduction in air pollution, and improved both air quality and the health of residents. In 2005 there were 53 smog advisories but none in 2015.
So, even if we're going to hell in a hand-basket in terms of climate change, we will breathe a little easier as we head there! This outcome should tell us that making decisions about polluters actually makes a difference. Now, if we can just convince the Regressive Conservatives that this is true...
Thoughts?
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