Things to watch out for: Weather

I know I said I had three things to write about, but the recent train derailment makes me want to add infrastructure. As infrastructure can interact with all of the other three, that is probably just going to be a fourth week.

I said these were things that can cause problems, but also that they are issues that are easy to overlook. When I say that, it is often because there are conservative trains of thought that tend to deny the importance or even the very existence. That also tends to influence reporting.

If you read this blog, you are probably at least open to stepping out of the traditional conservative mindset, so let's go for it!

Weather is becoming more severe due to climate change. 

To some extent we know that because we see bigger storms more frequently and in expanded seasons. If you don't live on the coast of the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico, or in Tornado Alley, that may not feel like a pressing problem.

While those are the events that make headlines, due to the intense damage they leave, that is not the only potential issue.

I am not the best gardener, but my plans were completely thwarted last year. Unusually heavy rains prevented soil preparation past the time of planting, creating a late start. The year before, much of my vegetation was wiped out by the heat dome.

It is amazing to me to remember how predictable weather used to be. We would alternate yearly between mild and colder winters, with a really cold winter every five years. When snow came, it almost always came in February.

Sometimes there were hotter than usual days in summer, but generally only a few, and fans could get you by. I would hate to be without air conditioning now. 

Remember that local housing is built based on prevailing weather conditions. Here in the Willamette Valley, that meant mainly wooden structures, and they don't tend to have basements because we never used to get tornadoes. The needs are changing, and that does not change the already existing houses.

That may seem to be mainly a matter of personal comfort, but extreme cold and heat can both be fatal.

It makes caring for the un-housed population harder.

More severe windstorms and freezes can also wipe out electricity, which affects the ability to stay warm, and access to food, and communication.

But I'm really writing this about food.

Unreliable weather creates the potential for failed crops. 

That can be true of commercial agriculture, but it can also be true for your home vegetable garden that you use to save money and increase health.

And if your home production involves animals, weather can affect them too.

These are just things to think about. 

If you lose power for two weeks, will you have refrigerated medications that go bad? Is anyone relying on electrical devices? Do you have a landline, or will you be able to charge cell phones?

Will you have heat?

If it becomes so cold that the chickens will freeze, can you bring them in the house and keep the house livable?

Sometimes in looking ahead, you will discover small adjustments that can make big improvements. 

Sometimes you will notice large weaknesses that require deeper thought.

I still maintain that the most valuable gift is inspiration through the Holy Ghost, but having that still requires listening, and being open.