I don't blame you for initially being happy with our recent run of warm weather. It was nice not having to pull out the gloves and hats so soon. I'm sure everyone at Thanksgiving parades enjoyed not freezing their faces off for nearly three hours. And it's pretty awesome to not have my hair freeze when I'm walking to the gym at eight in the morning.
But now I'm having a bit more than a problem, call it a mild heart attack.
Why are people walking around in shorts and capris in the third week of December?
Why are there students playing frisbee on the quad like this is syllabus week?
And since when is it warmer in Boston than Las Vegas?
This madness needs to end.
You see, while it's all fine and nice to have an occasional "Green Christmas," this winter season is not a random case. It is following the pattern set forth by years of global warming and 2015 is on record to be the hottest year ever.
If that doesn't scare you or you're too stubborn to believe it, here's a head check.
Do you see that black line all the way up there? Notice how it's not even touching any of the others? That's our problem. With less than two weeks left of 2015, there is no doubt it will surpass 2014 as the hottest year on record.
OK, we've known about global warming for a while now, so why is there such a fuss now?
While research on the warming of our planet has been around for years and years, the general public is starting to see some of the forewarned situations. Because global warming isn't just a temperature increase, it is indicated by unusual and erratic weather. Think of Hurricane Sandy or last year's Superstorm Juno. These recent events were cold and snowy, but still a byproduct of our higher average temperatures.
And yet, both common citizens and distinguished public figures deny that this crisis exists.
I try to remain open-minded when it comes to politics. I really do. I try hard to see both sides. But when it comes to issues of our planet, this video makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. How stupid do you have to be? How can you pick up one snowball and generalize it to a global situation? And like I just said, cold weather can be associated with global warming as well. In fact, I won't be surprised if we get hit with a ton of snow in the new year, to make up for everything we've missed out on during the holidays. But that doesn't mean climate change is not happening every single second.
All I'm hoping is that this challenges you to change your perspective. When you wake up and check your weather app to see "65 degrees" despite it being Christmas day in the Northeast, I don't care if you're happy or sad. Either way, you should be somewhat concerned. You should educate yourself on climate change, how you play a part, and how you can make a difference.
Because while you may be cherishing the warmer weather for a few months or potentially years, what will your future children be looking forward to come December, 20, 30 years from now? Let's hope a White Christmas.
