It’s spring! Many people are relieved that this spring, which brought terrible weather to many places, has past, and that summer is here. Does spring weather really change our behavior? Recent studies show that temperature influences us at an unconscious level. For instance, good weather makes us more likely to donate money to charity.
When researchers surveyed about 1,200 Americans and Australians, they found that those who felt that the current day was warmer than usual for the time of year were more likely to believe in and worry about global warming than those who thought it was cooler than usual outside–and they were also more likely to donate the money they earned from taking the survey to a charity that did work on climate change. But when the weather was bad, such as when record-breaking blizzards hit the US last winter, climate change was the last thing on people’s minds.
Another study revealed that participants were more likely to believe in global warming when the heat was turned up in the room they were in. Research on the link between temperature and behavior reminds us that, no matter what we read or hear, our perception of reality still relies on our own experience. If this is the case, our recent terrible weather across the US ought to convince everyone that climate change is real!
And now that summer is finally here, dress RIGHT. Cheap, convenient and casual, baseball caps and flip-flops are great summertime wear. But they also pose a hidden health risk from skin cancer. Dermatologist Rebecca Tung says, "Most skin cancers occur on the parts of the body that are repeatedly exposed to the sun. The problem with flip-flops and baseball caps is that they leave the tips of the ears and the tops of the feet dangerously exposed to sun damage. The potential for skin cancers in those areas are real, especially on the tips of the ears."
In 1998, Whitley Strieber had never heard of climate change, but the Master of the Key burst into his hotel room in Toronto and told him all about it (The new, UNCENSORED edition of The Key, with a foreword that talks about how many of his statements later turned out to be true, is in bookstores NOW–NOTE: Subscribers can still listen to this show, and if spring put you in a giving mood, subscribe today)!
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