☀️ Heat-related deaths

Happy Sunday! It’s August 6 — people are talking about the uptick in heat-related deaths, the pros and cons of portable washing machines, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

☀️ In the news: Heat-related deaths

Hotter temperatures seem to be causing many heat-related deaths — but some say the threat is greatly exaggerated, or comes from other causes.

☀️ The Guardian says the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. is heat. Climate change makes heatwaves more extreme, leading to more deaths.

☀️ An LA Times opinion agrees: Heat poses a serious risk to human life. It's irresponsible to deny climate change — it's killing people.

☀️ But The Washington Examiner editorial board says global warming is no killer: 20x more people die from the cold every year, as compared to the heat.

☀️ The Atlantic: The truth is there's no easy way to tell if the heat's a deadly threat. Hot temperatures can make pre-existing ailments worse, so the count of “heat-related” deaths could be wildly off.

☀️ An NYT opinion’s take: Impoverished people tend to die in the heat. Many “heat-related” deaths are more poverty-related than anything — we need to protect each other.

🫧 Cultural trend: Portable washing machines

Tired of dragging your clothes to the laundromat? Some say portable washing machines are perfect for city dwellers, but there are critics.

🫧 The NYT wrote a glowing review of portable washing machines: They're a gamechanger for apartment dwellers without easy access to laundry machines.

🫧 Never seen one before? Check out this TikTok to see how a portable washing machine works.

🫧 SF Gate loves the little machine, too: It takes a little effort to get a load done, but it's worth it to avoid a trip to the laundromat.

🫧 But USA Today said they should be used only as a last resort — some landlords don't allow them, and they're not as powerful as full-sized washers.

🫧 If you are in the market for a portable washing machine, HuffPo ranked some of the best models on Amazon.

Quick hits from today & yesterday

⚽ Sweden knocked the U.S. out of the FIFA Women's World Cup, winning on penalty kicks. It’s the earliest exist ever for the US women’s team. (ABC News)

⚫ A train derailed in Pakistan, killing at least 15 people and injuring at least 40 more. (CNN)

🎤 Simone Biles won her first competition after withdrawing from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. (USA Today)

🌩️ Weather forecasters warned that heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes could hit the Midwest and Northeast over the next 2 days. (The Hill)

That’s it for today! Reply at [email protected] with your takes, topic suggestions, or anything at all. Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We’d love to hear what you think.