Ask HN: Should we start primarily reporting Heat Index instead of other stuff?

7 pointsreadonthegoapp2y ago5 comments

The other stuff might be temperature, relative humidity, sun, wind, etc.

With more people suffering and dying from direct heat-related global warming conditions, I feel like we need a simpler way to talk about whether or not it is safe for people to go outside, for how long, etc., and I feel like the current reporting regime does not accomplish that.

5 comments

askIoT2y ago

I sometimes think that everything we discuss here is so much smaller when compared to global warming. But I am a believer in human ingenuity and think there will be a solution before things get too dire.

paulcole2y ago

> there will be a solution before things get too dire

There is. It’s called money. If you have enough of it, things will not get dire for you in your lifetime. And enough of it will keep your kids’ kids from feeling the effects too seriously.

Money is both the solution and the problem. Until the people who can insulate themselves from climate change through wealth. are willing to significantly reduce their current quality of life, there’s no chance to avoid dire-ness for those without money.

And honestly in terms of direness for many, the money has been spent and now it’s just about waiting for the bill to come due.

readonthegoappOP2y ago

i think the rich will be insulated to a certain extent, but the weather is already making most of the world, including much of the rich, miserable.

i mean, the solution to rich kids is going to be like... don't go outside for the next three months.

if you're a rich adult, you can fly north for the summer, but you'll have to go to.... somewhere where it's not blazing hot in the summer? where is that?

and then you'll be breathing heavy wildfire smoke?

1 more reply

logicalmonster2y ago

> With more people suffering and dying from direct heat-related global warming conditions,

I hate to be that guy, but maybe you should recheck some of your premises here because you're stating something that's really specific that might not be objectively factual.

This is a pretty complicated topic, but here's a starting point for investigation.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2020/08/27...

> I feel like we need a simpler way to talk about whether or not it is safe for people to go outside, for how long, etc., and I feel like the current reporting regime does not accomplish that.

How is knowing a few basic weather statistics like the temperature, wind speed, precipitation, and a few others like that too confusing? I know how to look out of the window, look at the weather report, and dress myself like a big boy.

This feels more like an attempt to make idealogical propaganda than a genuine attempt to inform people.

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