21 replies to this topic

[iebo]

In the USA, certainly in my area, we had a very  mild winter, with only 1 or 2 days of snowfall the whole season. With its lovely mild temperatures and sunny days where a walk in the park became so popular people were being turned away, will people fall in love with mild winters? And subsequently, will they love global warming, or at least not worry about it as much?
I know it was a different story in Europe this year, but next year they could have a warm winter just like we did.

[dconklin]

I don't know what everybody will think.  I am sure there will be people that are enjoying it, but I know some people who are already not enjoying it.  We have already had a wide variety of bugs that we have never seen here in the last couple years and the bugs will be out of control.  I think if nothing else, many people will not like global warming for this reason.  Also crops won't be as good this year as we barely got any snow here either.  I think if people are not worried about global warming, they will see this to be a problem when they are paying much more on produce.

Sometimes people worry more about that kind of stuff then other effects.  There are people I know that are worried and tho they enjoy the temperatures, they are concerned about what it may mean.

[steph84]

I know a lot of New Yorkers who were just like "where is the snow?" some are expecting it to freak out and hit hard this month or even in April. I hope people don't start talking about the advantages to global warming. That would be scary. I hope we don't have a bad water shortage out here in California because of the lack of rain.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Milder winters could bankrupt ski resorts.
Insects that normally die off because of colder soil temps won't=more insects.

It could damage trees and plants. Their natural rhythm is thrown off-budding out in winter instead of spring.

Cities and towns will save money on snow removal but the brown-outs/black-outs in the summer heat
will happen more frequently too, putting a strain on the power grid.

We are breaking the natural cycle of the seasons. We've already broken the web of life with so many
species dying off.
Meanwhile, too many keeping singing "La La La" with their fingers in their ears i.e. santorum among others.

[dconklin]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 14 March 2012 - 04:21 AM, said:

Milder winters could bankrupt ski resorts.
Insects that normally die off because of colder soil temps won't=more insects.

It could damage trees and plants. Their natural rhythm is thrown off-budding out in winter instead of spring.

Cities and towns will save money on snow removal but the brown-outs/black-outs in the summer heat
will happen more frequently too, putting a strain on the power grid.

We are breaking the natural cycle of the seasons. We've already broken the web of life with so many
species dying off.
Meanwhile, too many keeping singing "La La La" with their fingers in their ears i.e. santorum among others.

My spring flowers are growing quite a bit already.  No actual flowers on them yet, but the daffodils and hyacinths are looking like they will have flowers soon.  They are getting tall.  I haven't seen budding on trees yet surprisingly for how crazy the winter was.

[still learning]

iebo, on 13 March 2012 - 05:07 PM, said:

.....will people fall in love with mild winters? And subsequently, will they love global warming, or at least not worry about it as much?....

I expect some people will.  Until they get a summer heatwave.

Global warming/climate change has barely gotten started compared with what's expected in 2050 or 2100 with continued business-as usual.

I expect that for the minority of people living in high latitudes, Greenlanders and icelanders and Alaskans and Falkland Islanders and the like that global warming will be a net positive. For the rest of us, or our decendants anyway, It'll be a net minus, but the amount of minus varying a lot, from person to person, and from nation to nation.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

A discussion on NPR, speaks to the fact of beneficial insects being harmed with warmer spring temperatures too.
Lady bugs will come up sooner from warmer soils, but finding no aphids to feed on, may die before being able
to lay it's eggs, wiping out even more generations.
Not to mention, the early onset of mosquitoes in some areas. (Some as early as February.)
http://www.npr.org/2...ock?ft=1&f=1025

[mariaandrea]

It's global weirding. Mild winters some places, harsher than usual in others. There's a mix of rain and snow falling as I type this. Our weather goes from beautiful to ferocious in a heartbeat this season.

The truth is, I think, that the vast majority of people will look out their own windows during any season and base what they believe about climate change on what they see out there. Literally. I could go on with examples, but it's just too depressing.

[dconklin]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 15 March 2012 - 04:09 AM, said:

A discussion on NPR, speaks to the fact of beneficial insects being harmed with warmer spring temperatures too.
Lady bugs will come up sooner from warmer soils, but finding no aphids to feed on, may die before being able
to lay it's eggs, wiping out even more generations.
Not to mention, the early onset of mosquitoes in some areas. (Some as early as February.)
http://www.npr.org/2...ock?ft=1&f=1025

We have seen a few lady bugs later last year and then we have seen a couple this year.  I could not remember exactly when they came out but knew it was odd to see them at the times I did.  I also did not realize that they won't be able to eat if they came out this early, I didn't know what they ate.

Why is it the good bugs die off too easy but yet mosquitoes and fleas survive many different things? It is sad.

[Sandra Piddock]

dconklin, on 15 March 2012 - 02:15 PM, said:

We have seen a few lady bugs later last year and then we have seen a couple this year.  I could not remember exactly when they came out but knew it was odd to see them at the times I did.  I also did not realize that they won't be able to eat if they came out this early, I didn't know what they ate.

Why is it the good bugs die off too easy but yet mosquitoes and fleas survive many different things? It is sad.

My thoughts exactly. Mosquitoes will love the milder weather, and I hate that thought. When mosquitoes see me, they don't see a person, they see a five star banquet on legs. Bees and ladybirds are dying off, yet these evil things are thriving. Something's not quite right here.

[Kate Merrick]

Global weirding is right!  Life out of balance and I am sure it is because of human effects.  As I recently stated somewhere else, 2011 broke all records for natural disasters around the globe.  I don't need to list them.  Here in north Florida there is already a threat of wildfires, well known to the western states.  I remember the summer of '98 here.  It was scary.  We smelled smoke everywhere and there were many fires.  This summer may be as bad or worse, God forbid.  And we don't have it half as bad as other places in the world where there is such drought they cannot grow a thing and are dying of starvation, as in Africa.    So, yeah, it is nice to have warm days but that is indeed denial to think only that far.  Americans, especially, need to change our ways.  I am sorry so many are so sound asleep tho.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Kate Merrick, on 15 March 2012 - 02:27 PM, said:

I am sorry so many are so sound asleep tho.

gop=go on praying.

[Kate Merrick]

Yep.

[dconklin]

Sandra Piddock, on 15 March 2012 - 02:20 PM, said:

My thoughts exactly. Mosquitoes will love the milder weather, and I hate that thought. When mosquitoes see me, they don't see a person, they see a five star banquet on legs. Bees and ladybirds are dying off, yet these evil things are thriving. Something's not quite right here.

I do not personally get bitten often, but I feel for you and others who do! My daughter gets bitten more often.

[Pat]

The mild winter that we had in this area will cause some trouble this summer I am sure.  We will have problem with limited water available do to no snow to increase the water tables.

The heat from the sun will also more people to have skin cancer, since it is warmer sooner we are out in the sun longer.

The bugs will be worse than usual, we have carpenter bees that actually attack you when you open the door.

[MakingCents]

I for one with there was a way to have milder winters without global warming.  I guess for that I would just have to move further south.  But I actually have heard people joke and say 'see global warming isn't all bad'

[Shortpoet-GTD]

MakingCents, on 20 April 2012 - 08:24 AM, said:

I for one with there was a way to have milder winters without global warming.  I guess for that I would just have to move further south.  But I actually have heard people joke and say 'see global warming isn't all bad'

Yeah, until summer hits.

[mcomstock]

I find it disturbing that each year the weather becomes more and more extreme, yet few people attribute this phenomenon to climate change. :-/

[Usty]

There are enough snow starved people in the US to garentee that people won't start loving Global warming. Once you see resorts go out of business, it'll be added as another reason to hate climate change.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Usty, on 23 April 2012 - 12:10 PM, said:

There are enough snow starved people in the US to guarantee that people won't start loving Global warming. Once you see resorts go out of business, it'll be added as another reason to hate climate change.

No hot chocolate with marshmallows in front of the fire? OMG.

But seriously; ski resorts, lodges (housekeeping staff, cooks, local produce growers, bus people, wait staff, office, just
to name a few) ski-ski pole manufacturers, heavy winter gear makers, coats, boots, hats, gloves, skates, goggles.........

The amount of businesses that will be affected, or end up going out of business completely is mind boggling.
Think of all the gear it takes to go on ski weekend, ice fishing and all the people that base their livelihoods
on those trips.