Gabrielle’s Story #2
Over the past few years, I have been experiencing and noticing the appearance of climate change.
Over the past few years, I have been experiencing and noticing the appearance of climate change.
Today was notably filled with emotion and conversation, because of the historic rainfall from Hurricane Ida the night before.
I notice that the snow days I once treated as a frequent occurrence no longer occur so frequently anymore.
I am sensing climate change through the environment and weather conditions around me.
I’m scared for where humans are leading this world, I’m worried about the future of our planet and our own future.
In my hometown of Beaver, PA, coal and steel production was historically extremely important sectors of employment.
The turn of the seasons only an hour from the place I’d spent my eighteen years was unpredictable and mysterious to me.
As I drove around my hometown, I noticed many stores closed for repairs and tons of damaged cars resulting from tornadoes that struck this area during the storm.
Or we can use our mistakes and clean the air of its smoky waste. We have little time as humans, but our world has more.
As Christmas came closer and closer, I waited for the first bit of snow to arrive. I waited and waited, but not one flake of snow fell down from the sky that December.
The violent winds lifted me up into the air. It would’ve succeeded if it wasn’t for my dad anchoring me down. “Let go of the umbrella”, he screamed. I watched as my umbrella flew away.
Suddenly a thought comes unbidden.
This will be gone soon too.
Every year it feels like I’m seeing the trees change later, and when spring comes around and I see either dead trees or trees that have been green for a while I just think about how I might be one of the last generations to experience this.
Instead of waiting for the snow, I’ve come to dread the inch of snow that becomes thin ice, not even enough for a snow day.
I love when the snow actually sticks to the ground and piles up to six inches–I would make bunny rabbits with footprints, or draw things in the snow that was piled on ledges. Sadly, I don’t remember doing any of those things in the last two or three years–not because I don’t have the time to do so, but because there was never that much snow to begin with.
I wonder where the birds had flown off to–if they’d been able to adapt to the changes. Do they feel any sadness for their previous stepping-ground? Sometimes I think to myself, if we had only listened hard enough and cared hard enough, maybe we too would understand their story.
As the years ticked by, snow has made less and less frequent appearances. Maybe this is just a side effect of childhood nostalgia—the feeling that every weather event, holiday, and outing was just a bit more dramatic and exciting when I was younger—but part of me tells me it isn’t.
The first time I ever climbed that tree, I had two impressions. But the second one is the one that stands out the most in my mind. Trash.
The young campers between ages six and eight complained about not feeling well and nearly fainted as some had in the previous summers due to these heat waves.
During the summer of 2022, the temperature was so high, there were a lot of days where the temperature had reached over 100℉.
There was nothing left alive in the Schuylkill river. Nothing except us.
Something is missing. It’s hard to place. But then I see it: one lonely floating light. Where are all your friends, little firefly?
As these problems remain unresolved, the impact will grow exponentially.
The violent winds lifted me up into the air. It would’ve succeeded if it wasn’t for my dad anchoring me down.
Through my health and home.
Nowdays I have sensed climate changes very much as the way I dress and specially my mood.
In 100 years, my hometown will have the same climate at Richmond, VA!
I have sensed climate change with the air pollution and pollen seasons.
I’ve sensed the change through the summers getting hotter and hotter on the tennis court. Each summer it became unbearable…
-seeing env. disasters on the news
-pollution in river in my hometown
concerned about rise in temperature within philadelphia…
destructive insects attacking ash and pine trees – no more cold winter to keep them in check
Too much death and illness around, caused by the refinery.
Fewer birds
Warmer winters, less snow, heavy rainfall, spring bulbs come up and bloom earlier
Hotter summers
It is February 3rd and 60 degrees out!
It hasn’t snowed for real all winter and we often have bouts of spring weather. As much…
We usually have one snow day a year, and this year it hasn’t really dropped below 30 degrees F. This made me sad…
Unseasonably warm days are the easy ones to notice. But cold days are troubling too – because you…
I remember wearing thick Ugg boots with multiple layers of clothing and a huge thick jacket…
I always loved snow more than anything. The cold and the silence of snow makes…
When I was a kid, the only redeemable thing about winters in Philadelphia was snow. Or, more specifically, snow days
Summers are becoming increasingly extreme, making it more difficult…
I’m seeing more yo-yo weather. For example, heavy snow in the winter…
It’s much hotter!
Much more intense summers, changing habitats for native trees…
I can’t think of a single place that isn’t being impacted by climate change. It more subtly…
Changing rainfall patterns
Colder winters–> due to Arctic warming
I moved to Sewickley 5 years ago. It used to be a temperate suburb…
A gardening friend (70 yrs old) told me that the planting zones have shifted North…
Here in Philly, you can smell climate change.