Making Observations

At this same time one year ago, nearly 8 inches of snow covered the ground. This year, we have already received two light snowfalls, yet the temperature has risen so much following the snowfall that it rapidly disappears. The temperature drops to below freezing, the Gemini lakes begin to freeze, and then the temperature rises again to 40 degrees. As someone who enjoys winter and colder temperatures, I find myself making keen observations of these weather patterns. It is late November, nearly December and we have no snow and temperatures that would be normal during the fall season.  Clearly our climate is changing and we can see these changes every day, every year. While we see these changes, many of us think very little about this over the holiday season, with millions of people traveling hundreds of miles to visit family and friends, consuming enormous amounts of carbon emissions. When I think of the holiday season, I often think of snow and have memories of sledding, ice skating, warming up by a fire after playing outside and cutting down a snow covered christmas tree. These perceptions are beginning to change as those who live in the northern hemisphere will adapt to snowless holidays. It is these observations that leave me with a sense of sadness, that my own children will not be able to experience what I once did. While we cannot control our weather patterns, we can control our contributions to its warmth. Changing our actions is crucially important not just for our climate and health, but for our everlasting memories of the holiday season and the traditions and habits we hope to instill in future generations.