Linette Garcia | Staff writer

The weather app promised a cold day, but when I went outside I was hit with hot and humid air – the complete opposite of the weather I was expecting this holiday season.

Instead of cooler weather for the holidays, we’ll have scorching heat and, if we’re lucky, a bit of chilly wind here and there.

Many of us who grew up in Miami know that we don’t experience “normal” seasonal changes here.

While northern states enjoy overly hot drinks and spend too much money on the hottest coats, we order chilled replicas of hot drinks and look for lightweight sweaters.

Don’t get me wrong, I love going to a market or mall with a breathable tank top and loose-fitting jeans. But I would also like to strut around in stylish boots and an oversized hoodie without feeling the sweat rising all over my body.

It has been unbearably hot all year and I fear it will become even more extreme in the coming years.

In recent months, Florida has experienced heavy rains, devastating storms and scorching high temperatures.

The reality is that we are witnessing a region inundated with unusually warm water due to climate change, and our state government doesn’t seem to care.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law stopping and removing all references to climate change from Florida politics. He also banned local governments from treating their workers with heat protectants.

Florida is the most vulnerable coastal state in America to torrential disasters. How could he reject the climate change claim when the evidence is clear?

It’s amazing to me that despite concerns that rising sea levels could tempt Miami, there are still people from other states who consciously choose to live here.

I understand that most tourists or future residents come here to tan on the beach during the day and play in clubs at night with reggaeton music blasting from huge speakers. Yet the health of our environment continues to deteriorate.

The dreaded future of climate change is already here, yet we normalize its effects.

Hurricanes, floods and heat waves have become unpredictable and their severity is increasing.

Florida is not prepared for elevated water levels and steamy days – our state government doesn’t even believe global warming is real.

There’s not much we can do to alleviate Florida’s hot weather and high sea levels. However, there are small steps we can take to change the narrative, such as: B. through awareness, reduction and recycling, energy conservation and the prevention of excessive clothing consumption, which leads to the growing mountains of waste.

I want to see Miami as a thriving and healthy place where we can wear any outfit without suffering the consequences of heat stroke. But as the state continues to warm, the heat will only get worse.

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