After reading the article “Snowstorm gives boost to snowmobile season,” (AP, Monitor, 1/24) I erupted in a gallows-humor laugh. We’ve had a late appearance of any measurable snow, with numerous prior precipitation events laced with freezing rain. Winters have warmed almost 5 degrees in New England since 1900, loading the dice for decreased snow. But now that there’s finally barely enough snow to snowmobile, the multitudes are piling into their fossil-fuel-powered vehicles to drive north so that they can then drive their fossil-fuel-driven snowmobiles over miles of trails, emitting even more carbon dioxide into our atmosphere, thereby trapping additional heat.
This reminds me of the potato and squash bugs that devour my plants every summer, killing the very plants upon which they need to exist. Gov. Sununu, maintaining an interest in Waterville Valley Holdings, probably feels somewhat protected from this climate change snow drought since downhill ski areas can currently make snow. But a wise investor would contemplate how long conditions will be cold enough for snow-making to continue. The bottom line is that a lover of any winter sport should consider political candidates based on their support for climate change.
Hillsborough