First of August thoughts.

Today is the first of August. That crept up on us. 

While many of us here are seeking extra layers, warm cardigans and the like, and even contemplating putting the heating on in the evening, I read that in the USA they are having to take measures to prevent people from dying because of the heat. “This year looks on pace to potentially break records, in terms of heat and heat mortalities,” said Gregory Wellenius, an expert in environmental health at Boston University School of Public Health.

And how about this? “Among those needing hospital treatment are heat-exhausted hikers and even people who have suffered severe burns from touching blistering concrete and asphalt.” Wow! 

Now, I can remember summers in my childhood when the tarmac on the roads got sticky with the heat. Ladies would complain that their high heels were ruined because they sank into the road surface. (Has the tarmac changed since then? I wonder?) But we children also spent quite a lot of time sitting on walls to watch the world go by without suffering burns. Mind you, the summers definitely seemed more “summery” than the current North of England manifestation. 

Meanwhile our Prime Minister appears to have a quite cavalier attitude to the whole global warming problem, defending his use of private jets and helicopters to get around our relatively small island. 

“Asked if he was travelling to Aberdeenshire by private jet, the PM said: "I'll be flying as I normally would and that is the most efficient use of my time. But again, I think actually that question brings to life a great debate here. If you or others think that the answer to climate change is getting people to ban everything that they're doing, to stop people flying, to stop people going on holiday. I mean, I think that's absolutely the wrong approach.

Every Prime Minister before me has also used planes to travel around the UK because it's an efficient use of time for the person running the country. So I can keep focusing on delivering for the people. But if your approach to climate change is to say no one should go on holiday, no one should take a plane, I think you are completely and utterly wrong."

The presenter retorted: "Am I?" Mr Sunak replied: "What we are doing is investing in sustainable aviation fuel as one of the new technologies like carbon capture and storage which will help us make the transition. It's not about banning flying. It's about investing in new technologies, like sustainable aviation fuel that will make flying more sustainable. That's the right approach to this.”

For the sake of the planet, I hope he’s right but it seems to me we need to get a move on to find a solution. Time could be running out!

As regards summer time, here’s a link to an article about a firm that has decided to give all its staff the whole of August off work, to rest and recuperate, to recharge their batteries. And why not? After all, Parliament “rose” for recess on July 21st and next “sits” on September 5th. In some European countries it’s fairly standard procedure for lots of places to close down for August. Big cities empty as residents head for the hills or the coast in search of relief from the heat. Of course, these are countries that have summers. Looking at the River Tame bouncing through our village I think we maybe need to head for hills to avoid flooding! 

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!