Ugly Sweater Day

I'm supposed to be going up to Ottawa in a couple weeks for Winterlude. I love Winterlude. Every year we go up and it's usually crazy cold and crazy fun. I'm looking out my window right now and it's gorgeous out. It's sunny and warm and I have the windows open. Um...is this February? For the first time in the nearly 10 years I've been going up to Ottawa for Winterlude, I'm actually really worried the canal won't be frozen.

My friend, who lives in Ottawa, told me that global warming has been negatively affecting Winterlude for years now. The ice sculptures keep melting before the festival is over and sections of the canal have to be closed. I have noticed these things as we've been going up each year, but to hear news of the canal being opened and closed repeatedly is disconcerting. It seems that global warming is kicking it up a notch this year.

Global warming...hmm, we hear about it on the news. Warmer temperatures aren't so bad for us living in Canada. It's February and I barely needed to do my jacket up today. There's been hardly any snow and I kind of feel like putting my winter tires on was a waste of time this year.

What I found really interesting was that today was Ugly Sweater Day at King's University College in London. This is a funny competition that's held each winter to help raise awareness about conserving energy.  The idea is to wear your sweater, no matter how ugly it is, and turn down the thermostat. Easy! You save money AND you save energy. AND you get to wear an ugly ugly sweater.

But this year on Ugly Sweater Day...February the 9th...the middle of winter...in CANADA...no one could wear their sweaters. There was a funny photo opt and then the sweaters came off. It was just too hot.

It's obvious more needs to be done about global warming. Our government isn't showing any real interest in climate change and it's a shame. I only hope that people will take it into their own hands to try and be more conservative with energy, will carpool, ride a bike, buy local, etc. If everyone does their part, maybe we can reverse what's happening.

Hey, I still want to go skating on that canal. Let's hope the weather becomes more wintry in a couple of weeks.