Dispatches From Hurricane Milton Evacuees

Update: 2024-10-10

Digest

The podcast begins by discussing the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, which hit Florida's Gulf Coast in October 2023, following Hurricane Helene. The podcast reports on evacuation orders, tornado warnings, and the state's ongoing recovery efforts. It then delves into the relationship between climate change and the increasing intensity of hurricanes, featuring an interview with climate change expert Abram Lustgarten. Lustgarten discusses the rapid intensification of storms like Milton and the potential for mass migration due to climate change. The podcast also provides updates on the 2024 presidential campaign, including rallies by Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, as well as legal challenges facing TikTok. Finally, the podcast examines the recent decline in adult obesity rates in the US, attributing it in part to the use of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. The podcast explores the controversy surrounding these medications and the societal stigma associated with weight.

Outlines

00:00:00

Hurricane Milton and its Aftermath

The podcast discusses the impact of Hurricane Milton on Florida, including evacuation orders, tornado warnings, and the state's ongoing recovery efforts.

00:06:51

Climate Change and Hurricane Intensity

The podcast explores the connection between climate change and the increasing intensity of hurricanes, featuring an interview with climate change expert Abram Lustgarten. Lustgarten discusses the rapid intensification of storms like Milton and the potential for mass migration due to climate change.

00:14:25

2024 Election Updates and Social Media

The podcast provides updates on the 2024 presidential campaign, including rallies by Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, as well as legal challenges facing TikTok.

00:18:32

Obesity Rates and Weight Loss Medications

The podcast discusses the recent decline in adult obesity rates in the US, attributing it in part to the use of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. The podcast explores the controversy surrounding these medications and the societal stigma associated with weight.

Keywords

Hurricane Milton

A Category 3 hurricane that made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast in October 2023, following Hurricane Helene, causing significant damage and prompting widespread evacuations.

Climate Change

The long-term shift in global weather patterns primarily caused by human activities, leading to increased hurricane intensity, rising sea levels, and other environmental changes.

Climate Migration

The movement of people from their homes due to climate change-related factors, such as extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and resource scarcity.

Ozempic

A medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, but also gaining popularity for weight loss due to its ability to reduce hunger signals and slow stomach emptying.

Wegovy

A medication specifically approved by the FDA for weight loss, working similarly to Ozempic by regulating appetite and slowing digestion.

2024 Election

The upcoming presidential election in the United States, with candidates including Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

TikTok

A popular social media platform facing legal challenges related to data privacy and national security.

Q&A

How is climate change impacting hurricane intensity?
Climate change is causing hurricanes to intensify more rapidly, with storms like Milton growing from tropical storms to Category 5 hurricanes in a short period. This is due to warmer ocean waters and increased moisture in the atmosphere.
What are the potential consequences of climate migration in the United States?
Climate migration could lead to significant demographic shifts, particularly in the southern US, with millions of people moving northward. This could strain infrastructure, create rapid population growth in destination cities, and disproportionately impact underserved communities.
Why is there controversy surrounding medications like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss?
Some people criticize these medications for being an \"easy way out\" of weight loss, suggesting that fat people should suffer to prove their worth. This reflects a societal stigma associated with weight and a belief that thinness is morally superior.

Show Notes

Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday night along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm. It’s expected to be one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the U.S. in more than 100 years, with sustained winds of over 120 miles an hour. As Milton moved closer to shore Wednesday, strong inland winds triggered tornado warnings across parts of Florida, and at least one tornado was reported near Fort Myers. WAD’s own Josie Duffy Rice got in contact with two friends who evacuated from western Florida ahead of the storm.

Later in the show, Abrahm Lustgarten, climate reporter for ProPublica and author of the book ‘On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America,’ talks about the ways climate change is reshaping how — and where — we live.

And in headlines: Vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance rallied supporters in Arizona, X is relaunching in Brazil, and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the theme for the 2025 Met Gala exhibition.

Show Notes: