Tuesday Tirade: Freeze!

Leon Stevens

January 30

January. Canada. Unless you are in the extreme south or extreme west, you are going to be cold in January, right? Usually that is the case. Today is going to be +4C (39.2F). It hasn't been above freezing since 2009. and it's supposed to be above freezing all week.

Don't get me wrong. I prefer warmer weather over colder, but there are benefits to a cold winter. I'll be selfish and tell you why I want a cold(er) winter.

I ride my bike year round, and it is my principle mode of transportation in the winter. Slush sucks. So does that fine brown sugar snow (snow/ice/salt/sand mix) that accumulates when the temperature is above -5C. I also enjoy snowshoeing, and soft wet snow is not ideal. Warm slushy weather also makes white cars brown, and if you wash them, they are brown again by the time you get home.

Now for others. If you live in a northern country in a remote community, you might rely on the annual ice roads to get supplies shipped to you. Usually there is only a 4-8 week window to receive fuel, building supplies, and food at a cheaper price than having to fly it in.

Fishing and hunting success also depend on ice and bush trails freezing. Permanent roads and rail lines built in permanently frozen ground now heaves and sinks as the permafrost melts.

Now to the sufferers who have no choice in the matter.

Many animals rely on lake ice and sea ice for hunting, the polar bears are the prime example. If there is a late freeze, the bears are unable to stock up before having to hibernate. In the spring, the ice is needed to replenish their reserves.

Trees. Trees grow in the northern regions because they can, and avoid being infected by certain insects because when it freezes, it halts the northerly progress of these feeders. Many forests are now being decimated by bark beetles since the warmer weather allows them to survive and get an early start to their travels.

Many other plants have adapted to periods of dormancy during cold winters. Imagine being woken up earlier and earlier.

I try to do all I can to mitigate the impact I have on the environment. Sometimes it feels like a losing battle.

-Leon

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/