Are these FREEZING, cold, below zero days getting on your nerves? Are you tired of bundling up in layered clothing — both indoor and outdoor? Really tired of snow days due to reduced visibility, horrific road conditions and unsafe wind chills? If you answered YES, you aren’t alone.
I feel your pain. Desperate for a positive spin, I went on a google search for upsides of our polar vortex rut. As it turns out, there are some benefits for our health and our habitat. This bitterly cold weather kills off nasty disease spreading pests like mosquitoes and ticks. Another health benefit can include weight loss. When your body is cold and shivery, it uses something called ‘brown fat’ to burn energy to keep you warm.
When it comes to our habitat, the freezing temperatures have entomologists doing cart wheels. Scientists report that nasty invasive insects like the emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid and southern pine beetle can’t survive in temperatures that drop to these bitter levels. This is good news for all of us who want to protect our beautiful wooded wonderlands.
So, the next time you feel like you’re getting sucked into another negative conversation about the unrelenting cold weather, share some positive news. It will feel good — and you’ll also impress your friends.
