Mild El Niño
Everybody is starting to feel the summer heat. No doubt about that. The temperature is just too much to handle with the sun shining. I guess, this is the start of the mild El Niño phenomenon.
For days we kept on going back to the mountain barangays of Cebu City, checking on the state of flora and fauna in the area. The breeze up there was cool but according to the locals, it was much cooler before the summer heat started to kick in. True enough, the soil up there was already dry. Crops were not able to grow to its full size because they lacked water. Farmers have cried for more water supply that have seemingly becoming less as days pass. The heat is definitely on.
Similarly, livestock and cattle also seem to feel the effect of the mild El Niño. With days like these they are often under the shade, looking for water. They make do with the grass that is also drying up from the heat. Ultimately, water supply will be scarce and those breeding these animals will have to sacrifice their business. We cannot compete with how nature is trying to treat is.
The Metropolitan Cebu Water District has said that one of their sources of water has gone down to a critical level. The Buhisan Dam which used to hold seven thousand cubic meters of water has gone down to a whooping three thousand cubic meters because of the dry spell. This is only one of the many sources that has started to dry up. At a declaration of a mild El Niño, we are losing only one source of water. How much worse if the temperature continues to rise in the coming summer days?
It has been a cliché - global warning. This is one thing that science and technology have taught us about, and how to stop it. But as we see it now, the world could not do anything to this change but to adapt to it. This is too much, if we have only learned ahead we could have made this place better.
Back in basic school, we were taught how to at least control global warming. And this included lessening the use of CFCs and aerosols. According to my professor in Science, Technology and Society, another contributing factor to the increase in heat index in the world that we live in now is the increase in production and consumption of meat as compared to vegetables. There seems to be a line of the body's abuse somewhere.
This is not the world that I used to know; too much people, too much traffic. It is just too much. As society and the norms evolve, drastic changes have been made. If only we can take time to slow things down and think on what we are supposed to do. Now that there is a mild El Niño, how would one respond?
MCWD is calling the residents to save and conserve water despite the heat. It would not hurt to grab a pail or two for your water supply. It is better to save than have nothing at all. It has been anticipated that water sources will dry up because, again, there is nothing that we can do with the change of the climate.
There is no idea yet as to how long this mild El Niño will last. But it would be better to adapt, change and adjust rather than whining and complaining. So gear up for the summer, the heat is on.
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