this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2023
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It's astonishing and terrible to see populist politicians still saying that climate change is a hoax - and getting elected. It's never been more obvious that what scientist have been saying about global warming (e.g. Exxon's scientists have been saying since 1977) is true and having real world consequences today.
Is it in reaction to everything getting scary? It's such a seductive alternative to accepting that we're fucked - just put your faith in someone who says it's all untrue. A cartoon parent figure to comfort you as the word burns.
I can't put into words what I think about people who even doubt climate change, let alone deny its existence. I just... if the data isn't enough, I honestly don't know what to say.
How about the people that welcome climate change? So much rain in California it kept the Jewish Space Lasers from igniting the forests this year.
In Michigan Deer season starts on November 15, and this year it was 60°F where I am. I mowed the lawn Saturday. I've never seen t-shirt weather this late in the year. I'm a little terrified this warm weather is going to bury us in snow come January.
Current forecast for my location in southern Saskatchewan is 11°C (52F) for a high. About 6 weeks ago, we got a proper start to winter with a few cm of snow (maybe 1.5 in) and thought was given to plugging in the block heater. That was it.
Since then, temperatures have been a bit below freezing overnight and a bit over freezing during the day, with quite a few days like today, where it's way above freezing. Any sloughs and dugouts that had started freezing over are now pretty much ice free. The last few days have been nice enough for people to put their boats in to go fishing.
We heat with a pellet stove. So far, our pellet consumption is about 50% of last year's, about 30% of our worst year, and about 35% of our 15 year average.
And apart from a "cooler" day tomorrow with a small chance of snow, there is no end in sight. Even assuming that we get back to something normal by Xmas, it could be February before it's safe to go ice fishing.