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author

You are welcome. I also have someone I care about in Texas. I understand your concern.

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I’m in the middle of Texas myself. It feels like a deadly predator is waiting outside the door. Most of us have AC but it can fail and so can the grid. Even just localized power outages can occur. I heard of one yesterday near me from a tree falling that was damaged in our freak ice storm this past winter. I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to guard against a summer power outage, to come up with a backup plan. Currently it is having a rechargeable battery powered fan than I can use wet towels over to have it feel a bit cooler (and several spare batteries). And I have thermal curtains for the windows.

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author

I have a friend near San Antonio that I am concerned about. Your grid is extremely concerning, and I am familiar with crazy heat from living in Cincinnati for five years. It was a wetter heat, but just awful at times. Not only is it growing hotter, the duration of hot seasons is growing longer. I feel for you and the measures you have to take. I am trying to get my friend to relocate. I know that's a huge undertaking, but that's my advice for anyone who can manage it.

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Do you have any particular places you recommend for relocation? I’m stuck here for now due to parents in their 80s who won’t move but within the next ten years I am looking at relocating someplace with less heat risk and a better power grid.

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author

That's a huge question. I'm in Buffalo, it has some advantages. It will get warmer here, too, but I haven't needed AC here so far in two years. Lake Erie is a tremendous water source, and it's an affordable place in terms of houses. Taxes are much higher than Texas, but our power grid is solid. We did endure a 48-hour blizzard this winter, because Lake Erie didn't freeze over as it should. Mountains and hills seem problematic with crazy rainstorms that didn't happen before. Vermont, a state I know well, just experienced devastating flooding. A friend of mine just sent me this link. I'm a little surprised Buffalo's not on the list. I suppose the snow situation is problematic. https://www.policygenius.com/homeowners-insurance/best-and-worst-cities-climate-change/

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Thanks for the link. There’s an NPR video on YouTube that talks about climate change havens. I’ll look it up and paste here. I’m willing to pay higher taxes if I get something for them. In Texas I really don’t get much. We are 50th in number of people with health insurance. This is very much a state where you have to take care of yourself 100%. Heaven forbid if you’re elderly and don’t have lots of money. I’ve lived here 60 years. Wasn’t too bad the first 40 years.

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author

You're welcome. It's a starting point, anyhow. Maybe where to go will become the subject of an article soon.

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I feel sorry for the people who have to work outside. They can’t escape the heat. Construction projects start earlier than ever because you can’t be in this kind of heat without a break for long. The poor UPS drivers don’t have AC in their trucks. The garden is going crispy so you know the growing fields are as well. Most people don’t realize this will affect all of our workers who work with their hands to create the essentials of life. Agriculture is at high risk - both plant and animals as well as the people who work with both. And then there’s the poor who can’t afford AC even in the US.

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author

When earning a living means risking your life in a job that's not a cop or a firefighter, that's a failure of government taking care of its citizens. Agriculture is indeed in deep trouble, not just from increased heat, but flooding, erosion, chemicals and depleted soils from the terrible practices of corporate farm management. And yes, the poor in this country who can't afford AC are extremely vulnerable. It's all appalling, and it all comes down to greed.

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Jul 13, 2023Liked by Geoffrey Deihl

Thank you. I shared this with my son who is without a car in Dallas.

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