The state of Michigan is known for being a relatively cold state. It is known for having brutally long and cold winters, but this year it hasn’t seemed very long and brutal at all. While many are just enjoying the sun and warmth, they do not understand that these warm days are simply an indicator of climate change. The average temperature highs in the Metro Detroit area in February and March is around 35 degrees Fahrenheit, but this year temperatures are peaking in the low 70’s throughout the month of February, and similar temperatures were predicted for March.

Climate change, often referred to as global warming, can be simply defined as the changing average temperatures and precipitation patterns in a given area, region, or planet. Climate change is known to be caused by the rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The gases act almost as a sealant in the atmosphere, trapping the heat inside the planet. As the Earth continues to warm there are wide-ranging impacts: rising sea levels due to melting snow and ice, more extreme heat events, like wildfires and drought and more extreme storms, rainfall and floods. Scientists project that these trends will continue or even accelerate. This poses significant risks to human health, wildlife, our forests, agriculture, freshwater, coastlines and other natural resources that are critically important to the environment and our overall quality of life.

They’re most definitely people out there who believe climate change is a sham or conspiracy, but the facts and data is there. Climate change is a real and serious thing, and that is the cause of these warm winter days for us here in Michigan.

As a child growing up in Michigan, I learned to love and even long for winter. The activities you can do in the winter such as ice skating, sledding, snowboarding, building a snowman, and so many more were what I would look forward to. The amount of snowfall in the past two years has been significantly less, simply because it has not been getting cold enough for it to snow, as well as the changing patterns in precipitation and drought increase nationwide.

People say that we need to save the planet if we want our children to see a polar bear, because all their ice and snow is melting. I would like my children to see a polar bear, but I also want my children to actually see real snow for that matter, but if climate change continues in the direction it is headed, snow in Michigan will be merely a thing of the past.