|
By Tom Osborne
The late August temperature in the coastal city of Menton , Laguna ’ s French sister city , is 91 degrees Fahrenheit . That ’ s cooler than the blistering 95 degrees I ’ m writing from in the French village of Sallanches . My wife , Ginger , and I are visiting our younger son , Todd , and his French family . He ’ s Laguna-born and bred and now a French citizen , married to a wonderful woman from Sallanches .
What I find particularly noteworthy about the summer heat wave in southeastern France is that Sallanches is in a valley of the awe-inspiring Alps .
|
This locale is known for many things , such as world-class climbing to the summit of Mont-Blanc , the highest peak in the Alps . Skiing , paragliding , ballooning and competitive bicycling are renowned here : the Tour de France occasionally includes a stretch through Sallanches . What this area is not known for is intense heat in the range of the mid-90s Fahrenheit .
From the backyard of our French family ’ s chalet , we can see the iconic Mont Blanc , and in the foreground , we can view the Glacier of Armancette . For the past week , I ’ ve watched its apron of white ice progressively turn gray due to the heat-induced melt . Yesterday , the temperature atop Mt . Blanc was 10 degrees Celsius above the average for this time of year . The Paris newspaper Le Monde reported that on Aug . 23 , temperatures nationwide just set a “ new late summer record .”
A different edition of that same Paris newspaper reported : “‘ The extreme weather ... is having a major impact on human health , ecosystems , economies , agriculture , energy and water supplies ,’” said World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas . ‘ This
|
underlines the increasing urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and as deeply as possible .’”
What has been the impact of this heat wave on our visit ? Accordingly , we ’ ve had to restrict our outdoor activities to the morning hours . The afternoons are so hot that , to remain safe , we stay indoors until nearly sundown , caring for our two-and-ahalf-year-old grandson , Nolan .
To escape the heat locally , our French family took us on an excursion to Park Merlet in the nearby mountains . A businessman created the park , bringing in a menagerie of critters , including ibex , Sika deer , llamas , mouflons ( mountain sheep ), marmots , chamois ( swift goat-antelope creatures ) and more . In a small on-site museum , we saw antique tools and information boards describing in detail how “ climate change ” has been and will continue to cause some vegetation to migrate to higher elevations . Decarbonization is imperative , the public was told . My family translated the French into English for me . From the museum , we walked to the nearby rustic Le Balcon de Merlet restaurant for a lunch of country French cuisine that was très bien .
|
While here in Sallanches , we received an email from my friend Kelly Osborne ( no relation ), LBUSD Board of Education clerk , telling us about the exciting and timely new curricular program on environmental literacy . Climate change and the need for decarbonization are featured topics . This new curriculum is an outgrowth of California ’ s Environmental Principles and Concepts aimed at teaching students the interconnections between people and place , humans and the physical environment .
Exemplifying such interconnections between people and place , our family is a living link of the French bonds with Laguna Beach . The heat waves in both places underscore our shared challenges and future .
Tom Osborne chaired the work group that wrote Laguna Beach ’ s Climate Protection Action Plan ( 2009 ), for which he received the City ’ s Environmental Award . His wife , Ginger , and he lead the Laguna chapter of Citizens ’ Climate Lobby , which advocates for pricing carbon and rebating the revenue to taxpayers . tomosborne @ cox . net .
|