Kids are back in school. I have been wearing a sweater in the early morning. The farmer’s market is carrying pumpkins now, and tomatoes have been the theme at dinner several nights in a row. Summer is ending. Fall is approaching.

I was born and raised in New Hampshire, and thus I am a firm lover of all four seasons. The beauty of each is undeniable, and any cons I might identify just make me appreciate the next season more. When it is too cold in the winter, I just imagine how lovely the summer will be and vice versa. Having all four seasons and the traditions associated with them is important for how many New Englanders experience the world and understand the passage of time. Leaf peeping, apple harvests, snowstorms, and more form the way of life here. And so, the change of seasons is always exciting.

The challenge, of course, is that the Northeast is warming fast, and our seasons are not what they once were. This fall is predicted to be warmer than average, continuing troublesome trends of the past decade. The fall is also getting wetter on average, and flooding is a constant concern for many communities.

The way that I and many others understand Fall is under threat from climate change. Take a moment and think about how many things are dependent on the season happening as it did for hundreds of years before climate change. Sweaters, hot drinks, and colorful leaves appear because it gets cold. New Hampshire ecosystems rely on the four seasons just as New Hampshire culture does. Climate change is happening too quickly for many to adapt. Sugar maples and lobster are both moving northward, while ticks and deer are making themselves at home.

The good news is that adaption and mitigation are possible and active. Priorities in mitigation are usually placed on extreme weather impacts. Communities are building up resources to respond to weather emergencies while also reshaping the infrastructure to make events less impactful. Climate mitigation, the effort to stop, reduce, or reverse climate change, is also happening. New Hampshire somewhat lags behind other Northeast states, making the opportunity for action in the state even more pronounced.

Knowing myself, I will probably write another blog post in a few months bemoaning the loss of New Hampshire winters (I am still frustrated with the last ski season). Right now, however, I am gearing up for fall while also knowing it will not be what I imagine, and that addressing climate change is a better option than just feeling sad about it.

(And if you want to address it with me, use the Spearpoint Strategies contact form!)