Weekly Observations: What signs of collapse do you see in your region? [in-depth] June 01
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AlwaysPissedOff59@reddit
Location: Great Lakes State US
Climatically, my garden is telling me that most plants are 2-4 weeks ahead of schedule. I had a daylily blooming on May 31 (cultivar is 'Paper Butterfly', if anyone cares). This early of a daylily flower has never happened before in my now-long life. This cultivar is rated as Early Season, so it should bloom (and has always bloomed until last year) in the last week of June/first week of July. It is nearly a month early in this current ENSO-neutral spring. Other perennials and shrubs are following suit, except peonies, which are blooming maybe a week early.
When I was a kid in the 1960s, my family used to bring lilacs and lilies of the valley to my grandmother's gravesite on Memorial Day (May 30th back then). I confirmed this with an older family member, so not depending on my own memory. This same family member lives in roughly the same area in which we grew up; they report that lilacs finished blooming weeks ago, although lilies of the valley just finished last week. Of course we were at least one horticultural zone colder back them. Now we'd be bringing her her own bearded iris and peonies.
In other news, I reported a few weeks ago that the weather stats for my hometown had changed from when I viewed them 18 months or so ago. I can confirm that the National Weather Service's stats for Milwaukee are different from NOAA's stats for Milwaukee over the 1960-2000 range. NOAA's shows warmer highs and lows in the spring and early autumn months. NWS's are still not showing the information that I saw in 2024 - they're still too warm (looking primarily at last frost and first frost dates).
Socially, things are all BAU, with local events unchanged from prior years. There is absolutely no emphasis at all on the 250th semiquincentennial (or whatever we're supposed to call it). I find this interesting in that the lead-up to the Bicentennial took at least 18-24 months, with special programs, special stamps, special coinage, etc. Now we get a UFC cage match defiling the lawn of the white house, a push to put a living president's mug shot on a special $250 bill, a slush fund to pay modern SA to arm themselves against the citizens in the service of oligarchs, a monstrosity of an arch that hides the Lincoln Memorial and picturesquely frames Robert E fucking Lee's slave mansion instead.
The Confederacy won our Civil War - it just took them 159 years to occupy Washington DC.
We all live as if the nothing is going on outside of the norm. No one mentions anything going on in DC or with Iran - it's as if we're all pretending that the enshittification is not happening.
-_David_-@reddit
Can you give some more information on the temperature changes? What site were you viewing these on?
AlwaysPissedOff59@reddit
The NWS site (https://www.weather.gov) has a climate Daily Almanac which says it's from NOAA. I can't even find the actual NOAA site that I used a few weeks ago. The data that matched the reality I remember was from a NOAA site I accessed in 2024.
I realize that my lack of evidence here tends to label me as a loon, but I grew up in Milwaukee. I KNOW that we had a first frost in September sometime between 1968 and 1971 because it was before a birthday in my family and all the annuals were dead for that birthday, which was a big deal. I also know that we had a June frost one year about the same time frame because we lost all of the tomatoes that I'd help plant on or near Memorial Day, and getting new ones was also rather a big deal.
Milwaukee is a tough city for tracking climate because of Lake Michigan; Mitchell Field is one of two official weather stations and is very close to the Lake. The other station is Timmerman Field, on the county line miles to the west. Temps can differ up to 10F+ between the two stations during certain times of the years. Wind can also differ. High temps will be higher at Timmerman during summer and autumn than at Mitchell, and lows will typically be colder at Timmerman during the winter months (except when the Lake froze close to shore).
rmannyconda78@reddit
Location: Grant county Indiana.
It finally happened again >!a young man was shot in the head outside the strip club, murdered for who knows what https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/20-year-old-man-killed-marion-early-morning-shooting-indianapolis-indy-crime-news/531-e5eab785-7fd5-4fc0-9e52-98724808ee6d!< in another unusual happening >! A body was also found in a burning car https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/body-discovered-in-burned-vehicle-south-taylor-university-crime-news-upland-grant-county/531-33a8b2a6-9afc-4931-87cf-1815d7b2d332!< it’s really spooky what goes on here when it gets warm, and all this for a smaller city of all places, the violence is starting to spoil up again. I don’t DoorDash anymore, it’s just not worth it, don’t pay enough for wear and tear on vehicle, gas prices, venturing into rough areas, nor hostile customers (and they have become increasingly hostile). Yeah things are getting bad again :(.
On the bright side I’m getting big yields out of my herbs, getting back into dating too, and that’s going so far so good (using hinge, my sister met my brother in law there, am having some decent luck so far). Lavender and chamomile makes a nice herbal smoke for the pipe as well.
lightweight12@reddit
I like that you blocked out the bad stuff so one can choose to read it or not.
rmannyconda78@reddit
It was bad that’s why, there’s times nothing good happens in Marion, Indiana. Some of it is hard to read
Distinguishedflyer@reddit
you're doing real good Rmanny. I'm working with panic attacks here with, for now, less outright violence nearby. The key seems to be doing stuff. it's uphill.
You're a war correspondent with those cameras. keep your head down.
We just need to get you the right hat. 1940s? Or something more contemporary?
GreedyCharity5249@reddit
Location: Southeast UK Today I mentioned to my manager at work that I found the previous week very difficult due to the heat and humidity. Bearing in mind we don't have AC in my workplace. They laughed and commented that I shouldn't find it hard at my age (mid thirties). They then said how much they've been enjoying the sunshine. I suppose this isn't really a sign of collapse, more of an observation that while some people are simply not aware of what's happening, others experience things so differently that even if they understood what was happening in the world it's not even a problem for them until total collapse.
Emotional_Dot5038@reddit
i know!! most people arent the slightest bit concerned. even when do you talk to someone who rationally knows climate change is bad and were fucked, you can still tell it hasnt really sunken in and then all you get is them being like "were all really going to die arent we haha" and some nervous laughter before they start talking about work or football or whatever again. its bizarre existing in the world
Roofies666@reddit
So bizarre, and yet it's daily life right now. I don't look forward to when our descent is more evident to more people however, due to the panic and violence that will happen.
ruskibaby@reddit
cognitive dissonance… reality will only sink in for some people when it slaps them in the face - and maybe they’ll be in denial even after that
JulianMorganthau@reddit
I think Joss Whedon nailed it in Serenity, when he introduced Pax to the planet Miranda. Wikipedia accurately describes the effects:
After a local tornado scare, when tons of people simply drove aimlessly through my city's streets afterwards, I'm convinced that when the final stage of collapse hits the US,. 90% of the population will either hunker down or drive aimlessly until they run out of gas, and then wait for help that will never come without doing anything to get food or water while 5% will take what they want from those people and 5% will either try to defend themselves or hide.
Solo_Camping_Girl@reddit
I find this post on r/heat_prep quite relatable to you. People still seem to associate the heat with being good. It's no surprise this is coming from countries living in temperate parts of the world, hot weather is usually associated with taking vacations and recreation.
Distinguishedflyer@reddit
I put a note up to myself after being shunned by every human I ever knew for being aware, it said "unconscious = enemy." Your employer is unconscious and therefore is an enemy and is actively working to your detriment.
People who can't cop to reality are dangerous. I'm sorry for your situation.
Uncommented-Code@reddit
Location: Switzerland
For once something that I have noticed in myself: I'm now constantly angry about the state of the world and angry at people around me. Angry at people who buy big SUVs. Angry at people who fly on holidays every year. Angry at people who get angry at climate protesters.
I'm normally very calm but I don't know, I think something has finally snapped with the heat and the obliviousness I see on display.
At least we're about to get a week of bad weather which will cool us down significantly, but at the same time I'm already asking myself how that will affect crops after they've had two weeks of extrene temperatures now.
We've had an exceptionally dry spring too and are experiencing drought conditions, with all of the country either being marked 'dry' or 'extremely dry', and according to the meteorological office the coming rain will not change anything about that in the coming few weeks.
I think this is the year where we'll finally start to see the first real and noticeable impacts of food production failing in the west.
bristlybits@reddit
anger is an energy. feel it, be pissed off a while, find something you can use it for. i feel it too
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
"Anger is an energy" I hear John Lydon's voice in my head reading your comment. Added: "May the road rise with you."
luminousrose9@reddit
But then he became a Trumper!
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
Please use the anger for action or let go of it
Anger does a great deal of damage in the body and being angry on the regular can harm your own wellbeing.
It you use itnto channel actuon, and the anger tells you the level of action needed, then it has served a good purpose. The alternative is just self harm.
Dazzling_Dig4416@reddit
Man, I needed to hear that as well.
Thank you!!
Uncommented-Code@reddit
Yep, I'm currently trying to find a solution to it. I don't want to end up with a heart attack of with burnout.
Anger to me is always the result of negative feelings such as resentment not having been adressed for a long time and boiling over, and normally I work on recognizing resentment and such before that happens. I haven't really been angry in years and years because of that.
It's just that this time it's kinda hard to avoid the source of the negative feelings, and maybe I also just need to allow myself to be pissed for a while too. I feel like I have gotten too numb towards everything going on.
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
I think your analysis is spot on. It is hard to not-be-numb, but also hard to function that way.
Personally i find anger is often my response to a boundary being violated. And sometimes that can be me not being clear on my own boundaries or values. Once i identify what that boundary is i find myself, typically, with a few courses of action, not all good, but atill action.
I know it can hit hard, the overwhelm. I just hope you are taking good care of you!
lightweight12@reddit
I split and moved a pile of firewood the other day... It was very helpful having to focus closely
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
Yes!! So many do not understand what a gift our bodies are. Enjoy your heat come winter.
Dazzling_Dig4416@reddit
The only thing that has worked for me is to narrow my focus and fix/grow/improve things that are within my immediate control. That can be anything, no matter how great or small.
At this point, most of the world around us is spiraling beyond our control. Engage with it as little as possible. When you do engage, be selective in terms of the people you let in.
No shame in that. It's survival mode from this point....but we may experience a few moments of joy amidst all of that.
Solo_Camping_Girl@reddit
Location: Manila, Philippines
This is probably the first time this has happened in recent memory. Despite the rainy season starting here, other parts of the country are still experiencing danger-level heat indexes. This is related to collapse since more extreme weather patterns are expected due to climate change, and will be even more exacerbated by the super el niño. It's surreal to see in the news that while parts of Manila are being flooded, northern and eastern parts of the country are still suffering from danger-level heat.
HCPmovetocountry@reddit
Location: Manitoba
CBC news mentioned that there have been a lot of deaths in home Winnipeg in home fires this year. I believe it said 12 people. There are often news stories about fires in condemned/vacant homes. Today the fire department spokesman said that drug abuse and poverty greatly increase the risk.
No shit. People without hope don't have safe places to live and often resort to drugs. Unfortunately, it's another statistic that will continue to get worse.
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
Yup. Winter is house fire season. People who cannot afford central heat use ovens, unsafe space heaters, those damned candle in a pot contraptions. All controbute to burning down your shelter :(