A yellow canary appears trapped inside a metal birdcage that contains swirling water at the base and multiple disasters. A dark tornado spins on the left side of the cage while a hurricane-like blue swirl and lightning strike near the center. Flames rise on the right with a burning tree, and flood waters cover a small house at the bottom. The canary holds a small pickaxe and shows a distressed expression with wide eyes and raised wings.

The cartoon was published September 10, 2017, during an active Atlantic hurricane season that included Hurricane Irma and the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. It applies the classic canary in the coal mine warning to global warming by showing the bird surrounded by climate-related events. The explicit text on the right side reads THE CANARY in The GLOBAL WARMING COAL MiNe.

The visual argument connects the canary's traditional role as an early warning for danger to current environmental conditions. Multiple disasters inside one cage emphasize the breadth of threats linked to rising temperatures. The composition keeps the focus on the bird's vulnerable position amid the chaos.

Steve Sack's drawing uses the coal mine setting to critique resistance to climate action. The pickaxe held by the canary adds a layer of irony to the mining reference. The overall scene presents the accumulated effects of warming in a single contained space.