As I write this letter, I’m thinking a lot about the environment. October and November are normally my favorite months out of the year (and not just because they straddle my favorite holiday, Halloween). Usually, it’s during October that I pull out my cozy sweaters and head out for some good old-fashioned hay rides, apple picking and long walks while shuffling through the fallen leaves. The comforter goes back on my bed and I fall asleep with my cat snuggled firmly under the covers next to me.

This October, however, was different. I wore a short-sleeved shirt to my friend Sean’s birthday party—held outside on October 21!

To further scare the heck out of me, every day I turn on the news or read the paper and hear terrible stories of deadly tsunamis and earthquakes around the world, out-of-control fires in California, unprecedented low water levels at the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, and scary stories of other extreme weather-related events.

I know there are those out there who say global warming isn’t happening. Whenever I listen to one of them, though, I’m reminded of something I once heard Henry Rollins say: “You’re entitled to your opinion, but you’re wrong.”

So why should we care?

Aside from being global citizens and caring because we’re systematically destroying the great gift of this planet and each other in the process, we should care because travel and tourism in the Catskill Region—traditionally based on winter sports—has been and will continue to be affected by the growing warming trend. Each ski season, the same worries surface: Will there be enough snow? Will it be cold enough for the snow we make to stick around? Will it be too cold (or too warm) for people to even think about hitting the slopes? Extreme weather variations—in the 60s one weekend, minus zero the next—are a hallmark of global warming and have occurred in the Catskill Region within the past few years. The Region’s big four ski resorts—Belleayre Mountain, Hunter Mountain, Plattekill Mountain and Windham Mountain—all have considerable snow-making capabilities, but if it isn’t snowing downstate, only the most avid skiers and snowboarders even think to come upstate to ski. When this happens, not just the ski resorts are affected: the hotels, restaurants, shops and other businesses surrounding them take a hit.

So what are we to do? On a personal level, I’m hoping that by now most of you, dear readers, have taken steps towards decreasing your footprints on the world. Need some help in knowing what to do? Visit www.climatecrisis.net for some suggestions.

On a regional tourism level, we can all do our part to encourage people to come up and enjoy the mountains, even if they think weather conditions are not perfect. We can support the primary custodians of the land: our local farmers and food producers. We can support the arts, another significant source of tourism.

On a national level, we can encourage our current leaders to adopt policies that protect the environment, and the next time elections come around, vote for those candidates who pledge to do just that.

Global warming is one of those issues where one person can make a difference, and lots of people can make more.

On a closing note, I’m sad to report that Susan James, one of our Regional Advertising Directors, has decided to embark on a new career venture. Susan has been with the Guide for many years (since it was first purchased by the Catskill Mountain Foundation (map)). Her presence will be missed, and I’m sure I can speak for everyone at the Catskill Mountain Foundation (map) when I say that we all wish Susan the best of luck in her new venture!

See you in the mountains!

Sincerely,


Sarah Taft
Managing Editor
tafts@catskillmtn.org