weather

It is our second week of April and there is serious discussion of the possibility of having a snow day. In other words, our school board might decide that the amount of snow that has fallen is high enough to cancel school bus transportation. Since I am teaching in a school that relies nearly exclusively on bus transportation, I will not be required to teach.

The previous paragraph is more of a preamble for this next topic of discussion. I read in the newspaper today about some of the effects of climate change on agriculture and weather patterns. I recognize that the weather patterns and agriculture are not exclusive but rather are intrinsically connected. Thus, the weather patterns severely influence the agricultural output. The article described how scientists predict that climate change will modify the type and quantity of agriculture produced in various regions around the world. Africa will endure the most challenging situation. Entire types of agricultural harvest will become extinct in regions of the world once fertile with such productions. Droughts and famine contrasted by floods and intense hurricanes or other naturally occurring events will increase in quantity and severity. Pessimistic outlooks of the future are evident. Although I appreciate the immediacy and saddened visions of the future, I believe that positive change is slowly penetrating society. I have noticed, for example, emphasis in our public education system on environmental stability and consciousness. Nonetheless, I plead with each person reading this somewhat scattered blog to reduce your ecological footprint. Reduce your waste consumption, carbon emissions, energy consumption. A general guide line to follow is to live a simple life.