While climate change in California is generally not apparent from summer to winter, a recent heatwave broke the norm and hit the unprepared people of the Bay Area and the rest of California like nothing experienced before. With the majority of Bay Area homes lacking climate control capabilities, practically no one could find comfort, even in their home. Aaron Johnson, a member of the senior class, stated, “My AC system has been working overtime. My fan is soon going to blow its motor!” As temperatures climbed into the triple digits, experts with the SF Gate claimed that they were potentially “life-threatening,” and the National Weather Service Report stated, “When it’s all said and done by Tuesday many temperature records will be broken.”

 It is important to analyze the cause of these recent weather events. Scientists with the Washington Post have spoken on the cause of this current heatwave in California, stating, “Studies show that human-caused climate change is tilting the odds in favor of more frequent, severe and longer-lasting heat waves, as well as larger wildfires throughout large parts of the West.” Many experts have continuously warned the public, as well as government officials, about the dangers of climate change with little response. California is now facing the brutal consequences of this ignorance. 

Humans, as occupants of this planet, have an obligation to act immediately on climate change, or events like this heatwave will only become more and more frequent. Scientists urge the population to create positive change as a, “New research published last month… shows climate change is tied to more frequent occurrences of extreme-fire-risk days in parts of California during the fall.” If not everyone around the globe, then at least Californians, should take this deadly heatwave as an immediate call to action. If humans do not act for themselves, they must act for future generations, as these extreme weather conditions will become the norm if change is not demanded now! People should call their local, state and national officials to demand immediate action to combat global warming.