Climate Change: The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

With Christmas fast approaching I thought it appropriate to write a blog dedicated to pumpkin pie and Christmas trees – with a climate change twist of course.

So, does climate change have the power to threaten Christmas?

The sad reality is yes, it does.

“Pumpkin pie may be missing by Christmas, thanks to climate change”

~ Glenza (2015)

Take a look at the “pumpkin state” Illinois. Subjected to ‘more widespread wet conditions from big rain events’, increased precipitation by 10% in the winter and spring months is impeding pumpkin growth, resulting in a 50% decline in crop yields (Glenza, 2015).

Requiring warm and dry weather conditions for optimal growth, climate change is set to dictate the future of America’s ‘beloved pie’ (Glenza, 2015).

So will America’s pumpkin-palette continue to be satisfied? Or is it a case of “too little too late”?

Well, thanksgiving has survived, but will the pumpkin prevail for Christmas?

Next, I invite you to turn your attention to another treasured Christmas tradition, the humble Christmas tree.

“Climate change is continuing its rampage through everything you love by threatening Christmas trees”

                                                                                                            ~ Laskow (2013)

Described by Piotrowski (2014) as ‘bad news for Christmas trees’, at the hands of climate change and global warming, Norwegian spruces are ‘getting cold feet’ as they lose their blanket of snow and new tree growth is limited by a thinning snow pack.

Furthermore, due to poor Christmas tree growth, many growers have decided not to plant new ones! And to add salt to the wound, Laskow (2013) states that uneven supply and demand will mean Christmas trees will increase in price and ‘only rich families will be able to afford real trees’! Obviously, I am aware that plastic trees are a common feature of households, however the production of this replacement is itself contributing to climate change!

Although the Christmas trees condition is not yet critical, without climate change mitigation, Santa Claus might struggle over where to put the presents in the future.

Is the threat to Christmas enough to encourage society to ‘treat our earth with respect’? Or should we do as Chartres (2009) suggests and capture the lesson of ‘loving thy neighbour’ and the generosity and compassion we exercise most at Christmas and apply it to the wider world in order to challenge the ‘eco-gloom’ of the future?

I’d love to hear your views on the matter.