How has your community been impacted by climate change?

Eastern Washington State is a strange place to live.  So many people think "Washington" and see green trees and water views.  Our side of the hill (Cascade Mountain Range) is a desert, with no natural evergreens, but a rich volcanic soil that when you add fertilizer and water you grow two-thirds of the whole nation's apples (and hops are pretty big too).  The Tree Top company is headquartered in Selah, my home town.  It's funny that climate change isn't having a major negative impact on us though.  More wildfires for sure, but that's because we're getting more rainfall not less.  However the extremes are real.  We might have record snowfall, but the hot summer comes around and by August we're seeing smoke everywhere!  But with more rain, the crops do really well.  The trend is for rain to fall, such as atmospheric rivers, instead of snow, and unfortunately when that happens, the water isn't available to late summer crops.  With too much rain, we will grow head-high sagebrush that turns into an inferno by summer's end.  But, living in a region where only the occasional volcano can kill you isn't too bad (May 18th 1980 was the last one).  We don't have tornadoes, floods are localized, few earthquakes (on our side of the mountains) and no hurricanes.  At least you can afford home insurance in these parts.

What Climate Change Means for Washington

Climate Hub USDA

Photo is my own-

Here in NYC we are experiencing much warmer winters and what seems like more intense rainfall. We were also hit by the Canadian smoke last year. Whenever these events happen, we talk about them. I share stories about winters when I was a kid. The snow days I'd get, followed by bundling up for low single digit temperatures in January. This year I haven't worn a winter sweater to work once. 

Talking about climate change could be stressful and daunting, so I try to place the focus on climate justice/ climate action. What could we do to help? 

The past few winters in NJ are what stand out the most to me. Last school year we didn't use any of our allotted snow days because of the somewhat warmer winter. This year we actually went over our allotment of snow days, but most of them were due to flooding rather than snow. Students don't always see the connection between what they are experiencing and climate change, which is why the Climate Project is so important. Those students who have studied the grand challenges are more adept at understanding and then explaining issues to their peers. Adriane Musacchio  is right that talking about climate change can be overwhelming. I try to tell students that any step we make, as small or insignificant it may seem, is a good start as long as it is in the right direction. 

Its weird because the Sacramento region has had MORE water than usual. But because this water has come in the form of atmospheric rivers, my guess is that is from climate change.  Additionally, rain does not equate to snow in our Sierra Nevada, so our actual snow pack is not to normal amounts.  And not good or bad, but my bulbs are coming up earlier as it is in general warmer and of course that means a longer allergy season!

I just saw this two minute long video on the Choices website that answers the question generally.

Janet Mann , it does seem as if allergy season is becoming year round in the Southwest. Two of the past three years we've had over 50 days with temperatures exceeding 110 in Arizona. It used to be 5-10 days. The worst part is the low temperatures are not cooling down, often staying in the 90s. We haven't had 100 as the low yet, but it's going to happen soon. Even the saguaros struggle with the intense heat.

Kathy Hays The loss of the Saguaros is heart breaking!

It truly is! 

In Miami-Dade "sea level" rise is triggering a process of climate gentrification. The ethnic neighborhood of Little Haiti, where half of its residents live below the poverty line, sits 10 feet above "sea level." This advantageous site lured urban planners and developers to transform the neighborhood into Magic City, a mixed-used development for affluent residents. The surge in property values and the recent displacement of inhabitants are signs of climate gentrification.

Over the years I organized several field trips to Little Haiti with my AP Human Geography class. These are pictures from last year where you can see zones of abandonment, vacant lots, and the signs for Magic City. Next month, I will take my students there, but this time we will also visit to the offices of Magic City to hear their perspective.

Hurricane Sandy really took a toll on Oceanside, NY (where I teach) and Long Beach, NY (where I lived at the time). 

Wow! Those pictures are incredible, Todd Nussen ! Never thought I'd hear hurricane and New York in the same sentence, but it sure seems as if it's becoming more common.