My Climate Autobiography: Snowmageddon

My Climate Autobiography: Snowmageddon
I realize now that I was never really taught to care for the environment besides what I heard in school or on tv. My parents always showed sustainable behavior like recycling, saving electricity and water, and purchasing fuel economic cars. But it seems that all came from an economic point off view not an environmental. If anything, I was taught to fill my cup first and from the overflow help others. The only memorable climate event that I can recall from memory would have to be the 2010 “Snowmageddon”. For as bad as that sounds, all I have are good memories.
I lived a suburb in Germantown, Maryland when the blizzard happened. It was a pretty quiet neighborhood – not too exciting ever really happened.

Out of all the memories I had of this experience one thing oddly sticks out. While shoveling one of my neighbors, whose name escapes me at this moment, offered my dad and I some water which we happily took. Now I’m no psychologist and even though I’d like to have some deep reason why that was impactful I don’t. I don’t honestly know why I remember that but if I had to guess it was just the gesture from an unfamiliar neighbor – kind of ironic. The snow had the community working on something together. I finally got to play in the snow and use that new sled. Later that day, my father huddled the family up to have a little Sunday service in our house. The storm really made us as a family closer. Not only did we share this experience together, but my parent really took advantage of this time we had and used it as a teaching

My brother and I come up with a plan to clean ice and remaining snow off of cars and sidewalk for money. I had always wanted to do something like this but never had the chance till now. Every house we went up to was friendly and we made about twenty dollars each that day. A few days later school is back in session. This time of felt like a holiday break but I was glad to be back in school. It’s March now and the weather is warming up. But still there’s snow piled up on the sidewalks. Almost a month later and there is still snow.
Humans are really powerless before the forces of nature. Although damage was done, and some lives were lost because of the blizzard – it is ultimately one of the less destructive thing mother nature can cook up. It’s something that is powerful. Something that can slow the capital of a nation to a halt yet can unite people for a cause. Every person should be conscious of their environment and how it’s being affected.
In all honesty I hope the 2010 Snowmageddon won’t be the only snowstorm of its kind. The snows fall of previous years has been somewhat disappointing to me. Even though I don’t like the cold, there is something special about snow. Everyone should have a humbling experience with nature. It keeps us down to earth and might in the end make us value it