Today, February 20th, 2020 marks the 30th day of winter and the ice hasn’t yet frozen on my favorite childhood hockey and ice skating pond. From childhood through my early adult years the winter from January through the beginning of March offered up the opportunity to create cherished memories with friends and family on the ice. We would gather at the local pond to play some hockey or ice skate. At the very least you could depend on the month of February to ensure it was cold long enough to ensure safe ice, lending to our weekend hockey game routine.
This was an extraordinarily fun activity that I hoped someday I could share with my own children. Unfortunately, in the past 10 years the noticeably warmer winters have lead to a decrease in ice thickness, which now poses a safety risk well into the winter season. My 7-year old son has never had the pleasure of skating on natural ice. I fear that these days are lost to so many of our memories, unless we work together on climate solutions that can reverse this and many other dismaying trends.
Dustin Best
State College