For the Love of Snow
April 9, 2012 ;)
Aspen Mountain melting fast. 4/9/12 Click to Enlarge.I'm worried about the snow.
Maybe the POW season in Aspen was just an aberration...like '76-'77, but I'm concerned about the future. Climate change seems to be happening a lot faster than Al Gore said it would. It's been 60 in Aspen almost every day for a month...very unusual. The 2nd dryest March on record in Colorado. I've spent 9 full ski seasons in Aspen and this one was by far the worst. The skiing was adequate and I commend the Aspen Skiing company and their mountain operations crew for keeping up the conditions on Aspen Mountain so skiable. For the amount of snow we received...it was pretty good.
I've been holding this in all Winter. Sure I got in 102 ski days (and counting). Sure its still fun, but the POW is my passion. Hard-packed icy bumps...not really my thang. By my count we only had 6 legit POW days all season. Compare that to '07-'08 and '08-'09 when there were at least 40 POW days per seaz. The lack of BIG storms, the freaky wind events, the mist and fog that used to fall as snow...it all scares me.
I've always been a worrier and a planner. College, then awesome work experience ( if you can call being a CPA awesome), top MBA school, eventually finding the right place at the right time on Wall Street. All that worrying and planning eventually paid off for me. I sweated the small stuff. Since I moved to Aspen, I let go of some of the worries. I started planning my life one-day-at-a-time. No schedule, no obligations. Life was sweet...skiing every day, partying every night. Nothing to worry about...i'm living the dream.
But now I'm worried. Climate change is real.
I googled climate change and the top 3 entries came up as follows. Read for yourslf.
Environmental Protection Agency
I'm scared. So I stopped drinking bottled water. I now tote my groceries in a cloth bag. I hardly ever drive my car. I recycle. I've tried to embrace a more simple life-style. Less consumption, and more awareness of the environment in every step I take.
These are baby-steps. Can one person make a difference? I don't think so...but everyone has to pitch in starting NOW. We all need to work together ASAP. There are huge governmental agencies and thousands of non-profits devoted to climate change...but are they finding a solution?
This is not just an American issue...it's a global problem. So wherever you are, I urge you to take baby steps STARTING NOW. Do the little things to cut your consumption back. Don't let your private jet fly home empty. Don't use your air-conditioning when its cool and breezy outside. Don't water your lawn in the heat of the day. Whatever, sweat the little stuff...do it for the love of SNOW.