Well, that was shocking. For a few days last month, it was so hot that it felt like Spring in the most ridiculous way. As usual, the comic Sarah's Scribbles provided a perfectly accurate visual representation of what we were all feeling about this weather. So, let's unpack what just happened and see what lies in store for us with Spring.
Let's get real with what just happened. Namely, a heat wave that covered a huge part of the country, especially the South. All things considered, this shouldn't be surprising. Recently, we passed a tipping point in regards to climate change when we passed the 400 parts per million mark in regards to carbon in the atmosphere. So while you were basking in the sun and enjoying the fact that the air didn't hurt your face, climate change announced in a big way that it's real and here to wreak havoc on what we know as our planet.
In the meantime, enjoy all the other benefits that come with this weather and what to look forward to in Spring. You can finally get a real tan to prepare for prom instead of going to a tanning salon. You can celebrate any upcoming birthdays at a water park, which you never got to do before because it was still too cold out. You can watch the new season of RuPaul's Drag Race in the most season appropriate outfit imaginable! Which is ironic, because this weather couldn't get any more freakish right now than it has been. You can enjoy all of this while ignoring the fact that a gigantic ice shelf in Antarctica has been cracking at a horrifying rate. Because yes honey, climate change is not only real, it's screwing up our planet. And just so we're clear, the Paris agreement isn't good enough. In fact, even the biggest target (1.5 degrees Celsius) won't be a silver bullet.
So you can do a few things to process this tragic news. You can bask in the aberration in our weather and live like the world's your oyster. You can get angry and find someone to blame; if you choose this route, I recommend these guys. Or you can actively make a difference, however small, in fighting climate change. For starters, you can start using Ecosia, a search engine alternative to Google and the like. What makes it better is that with your searches online, Ecosia plants trees with its revenue. Over 6 million and counting! Also, you can sign up for Arcadia, which allows you to use your utility like everyone else, but you essentially draw your electricity usage from clean power. The more electricity you use, the more Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) you get, and the bigger impact you have!
We don't have to despair. We certainly don't have to accept this winter heat as normal. We can make a difference, even if it means bearing with the snow like nothing is out of the ordinary.
