I’ve lived in Connecticut my whole life, and when I was coming of age in this dry place, I never understood why every adult talked about the weather constantly. It was like they were hypnotized into thinking they were plants and worried about their feeding schedule. I didn’t think this obsession was isolated in Connecticut, either, I thought weather talk was some boring rite of passage that every adult in the world went through.
What was even more confusing was how they talked about the weather, and ultimately the poor meteorologist who gave them the forecast. My child brain didn’t understand how every adult could sound ominous, skeptical and vengeful all at once when talking about something they didn’t have any control over.
They cursed the suited fools waving their arms in front of a green screen if their forecast was slightly off, and if they were completely wrong, then they broke out the voodoo kit they bought for such an occasion to try their luck with a real curse.
Listening to these painful conversations, I promised myself the same promise every kid makes: I will never be that boring. Well, now that I’m a 23-year old adolescent—an adult only in the eyes of the law—I’m sad to report that I broke my promise.
The weather conversations I find myself in, and the ones I overhear, have the familiar tones as the ones I was forced to listen to as a kid. The only difference is that now, regardless of the season or forecast, at some point in the conversation climate change is mentioned. Either with a sarcastic smile or a wistful look in their eyes, depending on what they think, seeing how this is the United States and we are incapable of agreeing on one thing.
The people that deny climate change is happening confuse me. I don’t understand how they can’t believe Earth is taking a beating from us. It’s a little naive and extremely egotistical to think our planet can handle all of the industrial waste and the deadly cocktail that most vehicles cough out.
Although these people still confuse me, I think I’ve figured out why they refuse to accept climate change is a reality. I think it comes down to the fact that we can’t physically see climate change happening. There isn’t an obvious threat people can put their hands on or point at to make them actually worried. All we have to go on are the findings by scientists, whether government or privately funded, and there lies another problem.
We live in a time where the majority of people in the United States don’t trust the government. That distrust leaks over to scientists in general, because research projects aren’t cheap, and when massive amounts of money are involved, conspiracies will naturally bloom on the Internet.
Isolated in our little worlds, we can’t see the sea level slowly creep up, reclaiming land for their ocean. We can’t see the greenhouse gases trapped in the atmosphere, making the earth’s temperature rise.
The funny thing is, even if you don’t believe in climate change, you still talk about it. Every time you have your adult conversation about the weather and you wonder why every year seems to be a record year for snow, for rain or for a drought, maybe consider climate change as a reason. Maybe when we all realize this is happening, there will be more focus on how to combat pollution. Maybe then we won’t leave future generations a planet blanketed in smog with everyone needing an oxygen tank. Maybe then we won't turn into another Mars.
