In the movie Groundhog Day, a well-dressed, portly man approaches Bill Murray’s character in the hallways of a B&B and asks, “Think it’ll be an early Spring?”

Bill Murray says, “I’m predicting March 21^st.”

Spring got an early start in Oregon this year.  Owing to our near absence of winter.

No one told the white and pink blossoms on the neighbors’ plum tree to wait on the calendar.  Their dazzling pastels burst forth weeks ago and have already dropped most of their millions of petals onto the mulch below, over our yard, and on the landscaping project on my hillside that stands a chance of one day being complete.  Maybe.  Hopefully?

I can’t remember a year where we got no snow in Portland.  Not a dash in the air or the faintest white carpeting on plants or grass or deck.  None.  Some of the ski resorts on Mt. Hood never even got going.  Just dirt and grass on their hillsides with maybe a snowdrift or two off near the forests lining the slopes.

I won’t lament the loss of one Pacific Northwest winter.  But, I worry about what it means for summer.  For our mountain runoff when there is no more snow pack to run off.  For forest fires and the people who fight them.

I worry about whether this is our climate now and what that will mean for the following winter and its spring and summer.

I am a skier and have had the same conversation with fellow mountain goers many times over the year.  It goes like this:

“It’s a bummer for the ski resorts, but if this keeps up and they go under, that will be the least of our worries.”

Spoiler Alert: I’m not a climatologist or even an amateur weatherman.

This winter in the PNW could be just a blip.  But, why would it be?

The globe is warming.

Shoot, I forgot to say SPOILER ALERT.  Well, the cat’s out of the bag now.  Deniers and doubters take heed.  It’s getting hotter.

Yes, it’s been cold on the east coast.  Yes, snow dumped on them this winter.  Global warming carries more extremes and worse storms (you can look it up).  That doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.  Weather is what is happening outside this week.  Climate is the decade by decade trajectory.

Denying the change is like saying, “I know a guy who drove drunk three times last month and didn’t get in a wreck.  It’s obviously not more dangerous than driving sober.”

Maybe climate change denial is not just the same, but I wanted to get in a plug for driving sober.

My point is, when many scientists—let’s be honest, the VAST MAJORITY of scientists—say the Earth is warming, there are going to be people who take a specific, localized experience, prop it up, and call it a counterargument.

We can’t stop wrongheaded thinking, but we can certainly point it out.

I would like to think denying climate change lies largely with those whose financial or political (ergo, still financial) interests lie in ignoring our reality.  Sadly—I think sadly is the right emotion—that’s not the whole story.  This article by Brad Balukjian digs into why so many people don’t believe humans are causing climate change.

It’s horrifying how few Americans believe humans cause climate change.  Come on people.

Speaking of safety and using your noggin: WEAR A BICYCLE HELMET.

Jakey and our friend Chris and I went to the nature playground in Westmoreland Park recently.  On our way out, we took a few moments to check out a big, shiny Giant mountain bike whose owner had just cruised by us and leaned it against a fence.  The boy of maybe six told us it was his early birthday present that morning.

Shiny.

I told him about the Giant I had as a kid.

After Jakey had spun the pedal several times, I coaxed him to thank the boy.  Then I wished the kid a happy birthday and we departed.  I called after the boy, “Keep wearing your helmet!”

He said, “I will!”

Bike helmets.  Seatbelts in automobiles.

Stupid not to folks.  Wear them.

You’re not too good for it and you’re not the only one who loses if you splatter across the landscape.

Back to the climate.  (Have you noticed segues are out the window today?)

None of us alone can put a stop to global warming, though “believing” in it would be a good start.

But, we can wear our seatbelt.  Or better yet, wear our bike helmet, leave the car home, and save a couple gallons of gas.

And regardless of when the blossoms pop, enjoy them.  Same with Autumn colors.

We should do what we can for the planet and should care about what happens for our children.  We just get this one spin through life so we have to live it in a way that makes the planet worth saving.

Regardless of when spring arrives.