Does everyone notice our winters are getting warmer every year? I don’t know about what people in other countries have to say about global warming contributing to warmer weather around the world and eventually our Earth will be flooded with water due the rapid melting  from Antarctica. Our winter in Canada this year is still COLD with most of the provinces experiencing numbing -40 degree Celsius weather or worse.  So what exactly is going on with our precious Earth? Frankly, I don’t have the answer.

Computer simulations suggest that by the end of this century, the global average temperature could be as much as 3.4°C higher than it is now says David J. Erickson III, a climate modeler at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It is predicted that for the coming decades there may be a decrease in heating bills in some parts of the United States. Ironically, the extra electricity needed for air conditioning could result in an increased emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide. From the computer simulations, the model suggests that between 2003 and 2025, energy use in northeastern states will drop because of warmer winters but increase in the South and West with increased air conditioning. Ah it’s logical! If the winter gets warmer in the north hemisphere then the south hemisphere must be burning like hell… right?  The boost in the greenhouse gas is the result from air conditioners running on electricity primarily from coal-fired power plants, a power source that’s less efficient than sources used to heat most buildings.

Columbia Sportswear wants us to know that they are taking environmental responsibility into their own hands with the sponsorship of the ‘Stop Global Warming” ad campaign below. Aside from the effective message, I wonder if this campaign will help increase brand recognition for Columbia.