The Northeast is experiencing a late winter snowstorm impacting business travel, which will not stop for terrible weather. Rather, it means more lines and delays with PA announcers making frequent apologies over a combination of commuter groans, sighs, and unaware teens glued to smartphones.
As I am currently traveling, I hopelessly believe that my train will be on time, all the while remembering earlier notifications of delays. While waiting over an hour more than expected, I started thinking of related themes, mainly climate change and infrastructure. Spending undergraduate study in an engineering program at Lehigh University, I had multiple subjects to experiment with and validate the scientific process. As a result, my beliefs border upon the undisputed impact of climate change, and its ramifications manifested in daily life on planet earth... The truth is, we are behind in efforts to mitigate climate change's effect on the world, like rising sea levels. Recently, a report highlighted global upward trends in rising sea levels. Multiple areas of the planet have also recorded similar levels. For example, China had sea levels that were the 2nd highest ever on record.
As shown in the infographic above, we have and make choices that impact climate change. Nonetheless, the power of human ingenuity to innovate in the face of insurmountable odds is a constant reminder of what can be. I am not so worried that solutions exist but rather how prepared we are to meet the challenge. How are we preparing the new workforce with the right skills?
As the delay time increases, I started to wonder about forward-thinking possible solutions.
For example, thinking about the storm, I wondered about its impact on the roads, equipment to plow, de-ice and maintain the roads would be. For example, how could unique solutions reduce the carbon footprint of current ice and snow-melting solutions? Also, what impact could nanotechnology do to make roads smart enough to react to adverse weather conditions and adjust? How can we improve de-icing without using all that salt? In conclusion, if we continue with later winter storms resulting from climate change, this could negatively impact productivity. A damaged road in April means delayed periods to be spent partially on the repair. Such repair would mean delay for business commuters. Business commuters will be spending more time on travel rather than on business activity. As stated by needs, as eloquently put by John Oliver, the not-so-sexy infrastructure topic requires not only funding but increased attention and action to make tangible improvements to improve the climate outlook for today and tomorrow's planet.
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