This past Thursday, Patagonia Burlington hosted Patagonia Action Work's Snow Activism Tour with two film screenings and a discussion about fighting the climate crisis in your own backyard. Patagonia ambassador Nick Russell hosted the event and asked the audience "What Would you do Without Winter?".
This issue was top of mind as Vermont was coming off a weekend of 55 degrees and heavy rain, a huge loss of snow pack in the mountains. January thaws typically happen every year, but this was extreme.
Ironically, the following Thursday on the day of the Snow Activism event, Vermont got a few inches of heavy snow and then a significant drop in temperatures the next day. Then a snow storm hit over the weekend and the mountains gained another 6-10". Vermont dodged a bullet and we quickly got our winter back! Vermonters and tourists here for the holiday weekend rejoiced - but the elephant in the room remained.
It's scary to think what a Vermont winter without snow would look like - this year's thaw hit a little too close to home. In the current Climate Crisis, these weather extremes are becoming the norm. Winter as we know it, is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. How would you cope if winter simply, ceased to exist?
You have two choices: sit back and complain OR do something about it. In the two films that followed, Josh Jespersen and Lauren MacCallum chose the latter, they're doing something about it.
In "What I Fought For," Navy Seal veteran Josh Jespersen from Colorado fights for public lands by attending rallies, writing or speaking to government, and by simply bringing people the environment - to see first hand the effects of climate change that are taking place.
In "Accidental Activism," Lauren MacCallum from Scotland discusses the extreme fluctuations in snowfall with people in her community. Lauren asks the government and community to be these wild spaces' ally in the fight.
Both films are below, along with a short video about Patagonia Action Works, which connects you with local groups to help you fight the climate crisis from your own backyard. Everyone has something to contribute - help maximize your climate fight and match your skills with the organizations that need them the most.
Powder days are worth protecting.
After the film screenings Julia Macuga from the nonprofit 350 Vermont presented a slideshow of what their organization does to fight climate change, focusing on the Vermont Gas pipeline safety and construction investigation. Julia's presentation can be found here.
Julia gave the audience action steps of where to begin:
1. Call or email your legislator about your concerns.
2. Get informed.
3. Just show up!
