The first day of spring

Today is the first day of spring. High temperatures in the low 80s Fahrenheit. Another climate change data point.

On my way to work in the morning, I pass a number of school bus stops.

At a number of these stops, the parents are there, in their cars, mostly SUVs, with the engines running. This is bad enough, and it bothers me in the depths of normal winters, but today? Really? It was 41 degrees. Have we really come to a place where 41*F is reason to run an internal combustion engine to warm us while we are outside for a few minutes? We must awaken the masses to the necessity of eliminating the waste of our limited resources. I would guess that these people are not maliciously screwing the planet, it likely hasn't occurred to them at all that they might not run their engines. That they might save money, gasoline, and pollution. It's a bit cool out, turn on the heat. Well if today was any indication, the earth is turning on the heat.

Nature notes: First mountain bike ride in the woods in two months. The woods are dry enough. Heard Spring Peepers for the first time this season. Found a partial skull of a young white tail buck.

Update:  With record setting temperatures this week, Wednesday and Thursday topped out in the low to mid 80s.  The morning temps were in the 50s and the engines were running.  Arrgg.