Brrr?
It promises to be a gorgeous weekend here in southern Appalachia, and we’re hoping to get out and enjoy a little kayaking while the weather is still warm. And also stain the fence. (Well it can’t ALL be fun….can it?)
But for some, there is already the threat of frost (aagh! Already?!) And for others, it is just around the corner. Typically, if you’re in a rural area, frost is possible once it reaches about 36 F (about 2 C), but it’s super variable in every area as to where frost actually happens at that temperature. So the US National Weather Service typically tracks ‘freeze’ dates which are 32 F (0 C) and below.
Still a few weeks away (on average) for us here in southern Appalachia, but for those of you in Montana or northern New England….your fall has likely already begun! Of course, first frost dates are getting later in the year, so you might still have a few tomatoes ripening for a while yet.
Mountain Streams and Giant Salamanders:
I recently came across this short video from the US Forest Service and thought I’d share. The video focuses on a local celebrity of these waters - the ‘Hellbender’. We have lots of salamanders around the Smokies and the Blue Ridge mountains, but this is one is a giant: two-feet long, and under threat.
They are such cool creatures, and because they need such clean water, where they thrive, everything else does too.
In case you don’t watch this video, one takeaway: don’t move the rocks in streams to build little towers of stones or dams or whatever. The rocks are essential as Hellbender and other habitat.
Two other pieces of interesting and cool news:
The head of Patagonia is giving the company away. He’s putting most of it into the hands of an organization called Holdfast Collective that will use the profits to combat climate change. Yvon Chouinard, the now former owner of Patagonia, never wanted to make lots of money and is definitely a different kind of corporate leader. Very interesting read.
And there is now a small but significant recent push for ‘Ship it Zero’. Several cities (Long Beach, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles) have adopted resolutions that call for carbon neutrality among freight shipments serving their city. Minneapolis, for example, is asking major brands like Ikea and Target to only dock zero emissions ships by 2030. This would be a rapid transition, but they’re betting on widespread and speedy progress towards decarbonizing shipping.
I really feel the momentum in our transportation sector these days…