It was a typical snow day where I woke up late and watched ESPN with my dad for a few hours before getting all of my friends and ideas together for what the rest of the day would bring. Eventually I received a phone call from my buddy Ryan asking me if I wanted to sled ride at the park. I told him yes, of course, and then called every friend within walking distance. As I talked on the phone in the kitchen, my dad overheard our plans to sled ride and, being the engineer that he is, began brainstorming on how to make this snow day unlike any other.
My dad already had a notepad out before I could hang up the phone. He drew diagrams with our four-wheeler pulling a rope that would be attached to the lid of our turtle-shaped sandbox. He included smiling faces of my friends and I, and even mapped the trail the four-wheeler would take while pulling everyone. He had the landscape fully mapped out, and then he called up each of my friend's parents to make sure his idea was alright in their eyes. The diagram was left at home, but the layout and every single idea he wrote down was still inside his head, which he certainly took to the park.
The park was an old football field that had been stripped of the bleachers and goal posts, bur it still contained a lot of useful land. We would use every inch of it. Essentially, our town park was just a giant plot of flat land with a hill on one side and trees on the other. This field was perfect for an afternoon of sled riding. The designated driver for the day (my Dad) took full advantage of every twist and turn while hearing us scream behind him. He had trails that would go up the side of the hill and take advantage of the entire park. Even the forestry was taken advantage of by the four-wheeler with the turtle shell behind it.
The whole community showed up at the park that day, and it was a wonderful thing to see. When the parents arrived to the park with their kids it was a shock to me. Usually just my buddies would walk from their homes and meet me at the park, but apparently my dad's phone call was inspiring enough to bring the parents along. That is the beauty of a snow day: a normal day of sled riding can quickly turn into a community event where everybody became involved. Parents clapped as their children were whipped past them at the bottom of the hill. All of my friends yelled and screamed the entire day as they felt the cold snow tingling their noses. The community seemed to smile on snow days, and that may be because the only responsibility of the day was given to the snowplow man, but even he was not even highly responsible because everybody wanted another day just like the one we were experiencing at the time. The community let loose at the park, and they were all glad to miss a day of work. Everybody left the park just as the sun was falling into the night, and we all knew exactly what we would do when we got home.
Hot chocolate is a staple of snow days, and this epic snow day had no other way to end but with a giant cup of this delicious treat. My dad made our hot chocolate with milk, and I could drink three or four cups of it. My mom would come home to a fresh pot of hot chocolate and would be just as happy as my dad and I. My dad and I did not even have to tell her that we had a great day, because she could tell by our faces that had smiles lined with whipped cream. She knew that any day that ended with hot chocolate was certainly a good one, and this day was one of the best ever.
The day may have went perfect, but the fact is that things could have been done to prevent Global Warming, even on that day. It was unnecessary for any of the families that went to the park to drive. They all could have walked and saved gas. We could have taken the four-wheeler out of the equation and just used the hill for momentum. Even after going home there are steps that could have been taken. Instead of cranking the heater up, and sitting in the hot shower that has an industrial shower-head that drops about a million gallons of water a minute, I should have piled on some blankets and allowed the hot chocolate to warm me. Steps could have been taken, even on a perfect day.
Taking steps to reduce global warming do not have to only occur on snow days; in fact, things can be done every single day of the year. In the summer time a family could have the thermostat for their air conditioner set at the highest comfortable temperature to reduce the energy needed to keep the house cool. In the spring time families should purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from their local markets. This would reduce the need for big companies to manufacture goods using a lot of energy. Any time of year that the weather permits a family should try to travel using bicycles or walking. The amount of money the family would save is good enough reason to do so, but after knowing that the family could stop omitting harmful toxins into the air—it becomes completely necessary. If a vehicle is necessary, a family should purchase an eco-friendly compact. The best time to buy a car is in the winter, and if buying a new car is essential, taking a snow day to buy a hybrid is perfectly fine with me. Every day of the year we have an opportunity to better the environment in simple ways, an it is our responsibility to do so.
Days like that special snow day will be a thing only taught in textbooks if global warming continues and has its way with the climate. We can indeed do things to prevent global warming, and this must be done to continue the experience of snow days for future generations. Happiness is so important in daily life for a child, and a full proof way to do is to grant him or her a fun day with friends and no worries. A snow day is the recipe for happiness, and global warming is a threat to that happiness.
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