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Could Global Warming cause societies to become nocturnal? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by paddirn@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

22 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I noticed this Summer I started transitioning my morning walks to pre-sunrise hours to try to escape the heat (since even mornings in Ohio are getting to be hot). Since global warming (or climate change in general) is happening and there's apparently nothing to be done to fix it in our lifetimes, it made me wonder if our overall society might move towards more nocturnal working hours instead of the standard 9–5, just to escape overheating during the day?

There's probably no incentive currently, since workers aren't dropping like flies yet, but I could see it coming into play as global warming gets worse over time and it causes legitimate production issues. Probably some jobs wouldn't have the option, but most I think would be able to benefit from it. Does this sound like something realistic, or are we cursed to have to endure extreme temperatures because we've always worked in the daytime and we can't/won't change now?

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[–] kinther@lemmy.world 27 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Plants don't grow without light. Plants can't survive extreme heat and drought.

Once it gets too hot or too dry to grow crops, it won't matter anymore. Call me a doomer, but we aren't doing enough to stop that future from happening.

[–] Cataphract@lemmy.ml 5 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

Idk, our crops can't survive extreme heat and drought but certainly there is life in a desert. The ol' Carlin bit of the world will be just fine and all. But, you have to consider the fact that we have always migrated in the past during extreme climate changes and will have to do so in the future if it continues. There is plenty of places like Canada where the climate change will boost some sectors. Same with the fact Antarctica used to be tropical, we'll just huddle around the proverbial fires of our community wherever they need to go to survive.

[–] kinther@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

We don't grow our crops in a desert. They grow in very specific regions of the world, often in areas that are suitable due to natural formations and easily obtainable water. Most of Canada is forested land that is uninhabited with no infrastructure such as roads, running water, or electricity - not to mention there has never been a large agricultural presence in those areas, so it would have to be started from scratch, if it is possible at all.

When you say we'll huddle around the proverbial fires, it might be a very small human population. Our civilization (likely including both of us) probably won't be around at that point.

[–] menemen@lemmy.ml 4 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

The thing is also, the models work reasonably well on the global scale, but the local scale is something different. Whoever did work in climate change impacts knows that we still work mostly in darkness and just try to prepare for the worst.

The climate is no simple thing. Who knows, maybe some weird shit with the ocean will happen and increase the rainfalls over northern africa by 500% and the Sahara becomes a jungle. Probably unlikely, but we don't really know.