High temperatures may sound enticing, conjuring up images of days off from school spent splashing in open-air pools and lapping up ice cream. In her latest column, however, Susi Bumms explains what’s wrong with this picture.
It’s hot in Germany, not in the sexy sense of the word, but in the sense of global warming going full tilt here and now.
Carefree bathing fun or dangerous undertaking?
| Illustration: © Susi Bumms
When I was in primary school, we’d get the day off if the thermometer was expected to hit 30 degrees Celsius. If that were still the rule, kids in Germany would have a lot of days off this summer.The way the media present heat waves really riles me:
The headline “HEAT WAVE ROLLING TOWARDS NRW” comes with a picture of an appetizing ice cream cone, and “UP TO 38 DEGREES: ‘JÜRGEN’ HIGH HEATS UP BERLIN AND BRANDENBURG” with a shot of two women jumping into an outdoor pool.
A woman wearing designer sunglasses and laughing blissfully accompanies the forecast “WEATHERMAN SAYS WEDNESDAY COULD BREAK 40-DEGREE MARK”.
Two swimmers and the high "Jürgen"
| Illustration: © Susi Bumms
These visuals, which associate the current sizzling temperatures with alluring experiences and products like outdoor pools, yummy ice cream and designer shades, blind us to the real-life dangers of global warming.Firefighters are now on red alert for the threat of forest fires in many parts of Germany. Heat waves threaten not only our crops, but also our cardiovascular system. Germany’s Federal Environment Agency predicts the death toll due to extreme heat will increase by five thousand in Germany by mid-century.
Ice cream may be selling like hot cakes these days, but heat waves are not synonymous with summer fun at outdoor pools. So it’s high time we scrapped these misleading visuals.
Sad ice cream
| Illustration: © Susi Bumms
„Frankly...“
On an alternating basis each week, our “Frankly ...” column series is written by Susi Bumms, Maximilian Buddenbohm, Sineb El Masrar and Marie Leão. In the “Frankly…visual” column, Susi Bumms observes pop culture and politics, commenting on what she sees through cartoons and pictures.
July 2022