SuppliedWhether you or anyone you know keeps up with climate change, you may have noticed your wallet feeling lighter. That’s no surprise, as climate change costs money. It costs a lot of money, actually. And not always in ways we expect. In Edmonton, specifically, the summer weather has been anything but natural. This is not to say that rain and hot weather back-to-back are unusual. The severity, and the rapid weather changes however, are anything but usual. And now it could cost Edmonton up to $42 million.
Edmonton hit many records this summer. None of them are strides in greatness by any means, but are instead proving once again the effects of climate change. June was recorded as the city’s rainiest month on record since 1914. And for those who have been living in Edmonton, they are very aware of the incredible heat blazing through the city. Heat and rain are a normal part of any summer in Alberta, but in these two extremes, this is exactly what climate change looks like.
It’s often misleading when researchers and scientists write and talk about how our planet is getting hotter. It’s true, of course, but it tends to mislead people in how we should be discussing climate change. Yes, the warming planet is indicative of how hot places on our planet get. At the same time, what this rise in temperature does is cause rapid changes in weather patterns. This has been clear in Edmonton’s weather. It’s even true in Calgary’s weather — as Edmonton saw mass rain in June, Calgary went through a heatwave like nothing else. And the cities are a mere three-hour drive apart. The forgotten piece of this puzzle in solving our problems is that this will cost everyone money.
City infrastructure, as many have surely noticed, is always in repair. While it isn’t a bad thing that Edmonton and other cities want to keep the city in good condition, it can also be seen as indicative of how climate change affects our everyday lives. The more severe and rapidly-changing our climate gets, the more the city will need to fix it. $42 million may seem like a lot, but it could look meagre in comparison unless something is changed. That change, though, isn’t as simple as recycling cans — it might mean a change of diet.
Another indicator of how much climate change has begun to cost everyone is the cost of food, and specifically beef. Alberta beef is a staple in many people’s diets, but the prices aren’t exactly a warm welcome in supporting local. By no surprise, part of this is in part due to the United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump and the Iran conflict driving up inflation. At the same time, that really isn’t the whole picture. Another piece of the puzzle comes from how beef is produced. Many places have not seen an increase in herd sizes, and many areas have also experienced droughts, making it difficult to feed livestock. Even though some herd sizes in Canada have shown some recovery, with human population increase, it’s simply a challenge to support an entire population of omnivores.
No one wants to give anything up to help combat climate change. Not everything is in one person’s control, but that’s quite a pessimistic view. Doing anything to help bring down our own carbon footprint is a good thing. Recycling, composting, biking to work, and eating more plant-based food are all good things to do. More importantly, however, is to stay aware of how any one of us has an effect on the planet and how that can be changed. Otherwise, it might just cost more and more to live.
