2021-25 || trying to find ways to die slower

Today was the hottest day of the year, as of today. It is supposed to be over 40°C on Monday, and it's only the beginning of summer. Although there is an end in sight, because the forecast shows the temperatures leveling off, I'm getting anxiety attacks from worrying about going through this type of heat dome again and again in the future. Climate change is real and it's here to stay. 

If I was not a mother and did not have a child, I would probably have ignored the heat, because I would've just hung out inside playing video games and eating ice cream all day.

However, baby S is a sweaty monster and even though babies are resilient, babies are still very sensitive to the heat.  

Her room actually faces south, and is upstairs in what I believe used to be an attic space that was renovated into a room. When I walked up there with her after dinner tonight to start her bedtime routine it must have been the same temperature and humidity as the rooms in Bikram. I could feel the exact spot where the temperature changes, while ascending from the main floor - the point where the main floor ceiling starts is where I felt like I was walking into an oven. The floors were burning, water droplets would have sizzled on the metal door knobs, the bedsheets were radiating heat because they had soaked up the hot air throughout the day. H and I couldn't let her sleep in that because it would basically cook her. 

I'm sure other parents in Vancouver are going through the same thought process. The easy out would be to go pick up an air conditioning unit for her room, but I feel like that is just avoiding the actual problem. I want to be able to enjoy the outdoors with my curious child, go on walks and explore the world with her, instead of worrying about heat stroke. What's the point of getting air conditioning for inside my house, when I want it for the streets outside? 

Not to mention, air conditioning is a significant contributor to global warming, and every time I hear both of my neighbor's AC units running, I judge them. They're otherwise very nice people and I quite enjoy living next to them. 

Am I going to boycott air conditioning altogether? No, because sometimes, it might be necessary and I'm not an extremist. I am going to strongly argue against getting an AC unit installed for our house. 

Should we have more children? Probably not, because babies are also a significant contributor to climate change, and it frightens me to think of what type of world will be left behind for my baby girl. 

Should I change my shopping habits because of climate change? Probably, but I really want to get a rug and a few more pieces of furniture for baby S's room, as well as the rest of the house, mostly because we are frequently at home now, after the pandemic started and now the heat wave. 

That's it for tonight. I hope my bed sheets have cooled sufficiently for me to lie down in bed now. If not, I'll be sleeping on the floor tonight.