2024 Was Another Year of Climate Change
by Stephanie Ho Lem, CHCA Director of Living Green
For the past year, I hope that my topics on climate change and sustainability have enlightened all of you. I have listed the titles of the articles for your reference.
January – What’s the Point of COP Meeting?
February – Climate Chaos at Burning Man is a Cautionary Tale – Leor Rotchild
March – Thank Goodness It’s Snowing!
April – Let’s Embrace Earth Day on April 22 – (Founders and Mission)
May – How Carbon Pricing Works
June – Why We Need Oil
July – What is GOTS and How Does It Benefit Conscious Consumers?
August – Are We Heading Into An Ice Age?
September – Did You Know Trees Communicate With One Another?
October – Will Calgary Meet Its Planned Objective Of 9% Tree Canopy Coverage In 2026?
November – Are You Considering an Electric Vehicle as Your Next Car?
December – 2024 Was Another Year of Climate Change
The world is changing in terms of temperatures. We are experiencing warmer-than-average temperatures, decreased levels of snowpack, low soil moisture, and elevated drought conditions, all signs that climate change is happening. The list of extreme weather events continues to grow but Jasper and the heat-related deaths in the adjacent province stand out.
Town of Jasper
Jasper is a UNESCO World Heritage site hit by lightning on July 22 this year. My heart almost sank as the out-of-control fire almost destroyed the famous Jasper Park Lodge. The main lodge, clubhouse, and key cabins remain standing. More than 20,000 people were forced to evacuate and about 30 percent of the townsite was destroyed.
BC’s Heat Dome in 2021
Temperatures went as high as 49 degrees Celsius, 619 people died that year, and nearly the entire village of Lytton was destroyed. Development of heat domes are generally improbable, but with climate change heat domes may no longer become a rare occurrence.
As climate change affects each of us, there are simple things we can do to help in the fight against climate change.
• Talk about it! We need to talk about climate change. Like all problems, we can’t fix a problem if we don’t talk about it. We should remind business leaders and government representatives that it’s their public mandate to act on climate.
• Use less power in your home. The less power that you use on a day-to-day basis, the less carbon pollution being generated. All your lights should be LED, and you should turn them off when not in use. Set your house temperature lower when you’re out and when you go to bed.
• Look for carbon conscious ways to travel. Walk or bike or take public transit. If you have an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, think about buying a hybrid. My November article entitled “Are You Considering an Electric Vehicle as Your Next Car?” is a must read.
Happy holidays to everyone, the weather forecast suggests that we may be ending El Nino and La Nina is starting. Stay tuned!
Please note that the content provided is for informational purposes.
Sources: The Daily Hive, Word Wildlife Fun (WWF), Government of Canada Climate Change: Strategies and Initiatives, Calgary Herald – Warmer than usual fall predicted for Alberta, most of Canada following hot, dry summer.
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