Climate Change is rapidly exacerbating, as rising temperatures eat away at natural resources such as drying up forests or melting glaciers. The importance of recognizing and acting against this existential event is seen through protesters throwing the contents of canned food at famous paintings. Jokes aside, two major events have arisen from this problem: the burning down of LA and the cold weather North America experiences in places like Texas, where it really should not be snowing. Caroline Keefe, a junior, says “This kind of change, hot and cold, hasn’t been seen before. Now, more than ever, we must work together and do our part.”
It’s not London Bridge that’s falling down, Tinseltown’s melting down! The fires in LA have burned down the homes of many celebrities, like Jeff Bridges and Mel Gibson. Unlike more common wildfires in California, this one is taking place in the heart of one of the US’s biggest metropolises.
The reason why is quite simple. California’s high temperatures have caused drought-like conditions. This dry weather along with strong offshore winds are a recipe for disaster. The fires have effectively moved their way through the city, eating away at any building or tree standing in its way. Although the west coast is miles away from us, a major climate event took place right here in NC.
Just two months ago, a powerful artic blast swept across the United States, sending temperatures plummeting to extremely low levels taking thousands of students out of school and causing travel delays. The frigid air, coming in from Siberia, moved into the northern U.S. early in the week before rapidly spreading across the West, Central, East, and South. North Carolina was no exception, experiencing some of the coldest days our state has seen in over a year.
In Cary, overnight lows dropped into the teens on Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, Jan. 22, the National Weather Service reported snow accumulation across the triangle, with approximately an inch of snow in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Cary saw about 1.3 inches, while Wendell reported up to 2 inches. The snowfall, combined with the icy road conditions, led to schools, businesses, and offices closing for two days due to dangerous travel conditions.
Despite the freezing conditions, many Triangle residents embraced the snow day and enjoyed the frosty weather. 10th grade Cary Academy student, Ananya Ravulapati, experienced her perfect snow day: “When I woke up, the ground was completely covered in snow. It was a lot more powdery than usual, so it barely stuck together to make a snowball. But it was perfect for sledding! I’m glad we have good hills in my neighborhood, and my friends were able to walk over to join in the fun.” Families across the area took advantage of the snowfall, building snowmen and enjoying the rare snow day. Others like 10th grade student Jayla Roberts decided to stay inside saying, “I enjoyed my day off by staying indoors, enjoying hot cocoa, and catching up on homework.” After one day of virtual learning on Thursday, Cary Academy reopened for in-person classes on Friday. While the artic blast has since passed, it served a reminder that even the South can experience a cold snow day!
It’s in these moments that we need to think about ways to help and fix the environmental problems once and for all. The Red Cross and other organizations are great places to start. However, it is important to recognize that this is only the beginning of many climate disasters for the US if we do not act fast. To fix the symptoms, we must cure the disease: Climate Change.