My Thoughts On Climate Change from La Crosse to Madison

    Some days climate change feels like the most vital and important issue to resolve while other days I forget about and worry more about the issues in my personal life and whatever the current politic debate revolves around. However, the reality is that climate change is always present and always pressing. 

    Across the places I’ve lived in Wisconsin, I’ve noticed the effects of climate change a few times. For starters, the most obvious that comes to mind was the polar vortex invasion of 2019. That week school was completely canceled for my high school and temperatures were at an all time low for a record length. As we just learned in class this was likely caused by warmer temperatures and faster winds pulling the polar vortex southward far into the Midwest. 

    Other weather patterns I’ve noticed lately is the inconsistency of when spring seems to arrive. In 2020 and 2021, I remember being outdoors on a blanket having picnics in mid March. It wasn’t hot out but the arrival of spring came very early both those years. However, last year, in 2022, being on campus, the spring weather didn’t arrive until the very last week of the semester (early May). I remember not noticing flowers bloom until this time and experiencing a very long, cold, and extremely wet spring. There were days on end in April where the sky was completely clouded over and the air was foggy. 

    Of course there is going to be annual variety of when spring arrive but these differences seem stark. Sources of these inconsistent spring arrivals are of course all due to climate change and come from a few reasons (e.i. the Greenhouse effect). 

    However, this year, despite spring coming earlier than the last, in my hometown, La Crosse WI, there was a huge flood due to the early spring causing mass snow melting from up north and a rush of water through the Mississippi. These floods are dangerous and cause habitats to change for plants and animals.

  

 

    And yet, as of now, there has hardly been any rain in weeks! All throughout La Crosse are thirsty trees and dry yellow grass. Within two months, Riverside park has gone from completely overflowing with water that couldn’t take water fast enough into it’s frozen ground to completely dry. This amazes me.

    

    I do think others are noticing the changes. It’s hard not to hope at least. Most people enjoy the thrills of an early spring so they are likely noticing its effects. However, I don’t think most people tend to worry about the negative environmental impact it implies. The more people are educated, the more they will understand how much the world is constantly being impacted by climate change. 

    The biggest thing I took away from this course was the general knowledge of the land in Wisconsin (like learning how the land was formed and what features we have) and what sorts of impacts humanity has on our environment. The topic I took the most information from and I’ll likely remember forever is the dilemma of the Yahara watershed and the algal blooms. I cannot believe how big of an issue this is all over the state and nation. It’s scary and extremely sad how large the impact of human neglect can have. 

    I also loved learning about the old growth forests in northern Wisconsin. Thanks for teaching!!