Does September Always Have To Be A Hectic Month? It’s all in your state of mind Jason Chan, OP Contributor Kat Code For most people, the beginning of school signifies endless lines at the campus book- store, frantic scrambling to pay tuition fees before they are de-registered from classes, hours of pleading and begging with teachers to be allowed into certain classes, and just general chaos. However, does that mean that you should start feel- ing stressed? The answer is both yes and no. It’s “yes” if, when you feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins, you choose to give in to the stress that is triggered by all the different types of stressors that come with autumn and the start of classes. On the other hand, it can be “no” if you do not give in to such pressures and simply refuse to feel stressed. There are many things you do not have power over in life, but your attitude remains defi- nitely within your control. Studies show that the longer and more frequently adrenaline is produced in your body, the more harmful the effects are. ‘Matters David Suzuki, David Suzuki Foundation Although it may not be scientifically pos- sible to attribute any individual weather event to global warming, that hasn’t stopped a discussion about extreme weather and climate change from evolving out of the disaster that was Hurricane Katrina. Spurred on by a cabal of climate change skeptics who have gone to great lengths to deny any connection between hurricanes and global warming, serious scientists without other agendas are now weighing in on the discussion. That’s good news because theré has been a sore need for honest discussion about global warm- ing in the United States for some time. Hurricanes happen, with or without humans disrupting the climate. However, there is good evidence to suggest that hurricanes will become more intense as we continue to change our atmosphere. Kerry Emanuel, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has conducted Heat Adds Power to Storms the most comprehensive analysis of hurri- cane power over the past 30 years. His paper, prophetically published pre-Katrina this August in the journal Nature, reports: “My results suggest that future warming may lead to an upward trend in tropical cyclone destructive potential, and—taking into account an increasing coastal popula- tion—a substantial increase in hurricane- related losses in the 21st Century.” Scientific theories and computer mod- els have both predicted an upward trend in the power of hurricanes as the climate heats up. However, Dr. Emanuel points out that detection of actual trends for hurricane activity has focused mostly on their frequency—not their power. His work suggests that hurricanes have become markedly more powerful and longer lasting since the 1970s. Those observations certainly corre- spond with the events that pushed Katrina from a category one to a category five hurricane in a matter of days. This August, water in the Gulf of Mexico was unusually warm—two to three degrees Celsius warmer than average. As Katrina passed over the Gulf from Florida to Louisiana, she sucked up all that heat and grew into a monster. This doesn’t mean that global warming caused Katrina, but it is a sobering reminder of what we can expect in the future if we continue to drive up global average temperatures. More heat means warmer water, which increases the poten- tial for devastating storms like Katrina. How we deal with this problem is a So, what can you do to relax? Well, one suggestion would be to exer- cise at least a few times a week. Almost any type of exercise that requires you to move around for half an hour would do the trick. It could be anythinge—from jog- ging or walking, to martial arts, skate- boarding, or kayaking. In addition, exercis- ing for a sustained amount of time also triggers the release of endorphins, which is your body’s chemical for natural high- ness. So it will feel good and relaxing. Secondly, music can do wonders to help you relax. Music has the power to motivate and invigorate as well as to soothe and calm. Depending on whether you want to feel energized or composed, rock music, pop, soul, R&B, and/or classi- cal music would do you much good. Different tones, notes, beats, and rhythms help evoke certain moods; therefore, take advantage of this and establish a new relaxed state of mind. Likewise, I have found that pets can political issue, not a scientific one. We could do nothing and hope for the best, or we could tackle the problem head on. Tackling the problem requires a two- pronged approach. First, we must reduce the emissions that are changing the cli- mate and second, we must prepare for a warmer climate, because even if we stopped putting out heat-trapping gases today, our climate will continue to warm for years to come. That means we need to brace ourselves for potentially more violent weather. One of the best ways to do that along our coastlines is to repair degraded ecosystems. Along the Gulf Coast, for example, restoring sandy barrier islands and marshy bayous would help protect coastal com- munities from storm surges. Similarly, protecting coral reefs and mangrove forests would help protect low-lying countries like Bangladesh from cyclones. Restoring and protecting forests in general helps stabilize soils and reduces the potential for flooding. For years, scientists warned politicians about what would happen when a hurricane struck New Orleans. It was not an “‘if,” they said, but a “when.” Those concerns filtered all the way up to the White House where they fell on deaf ears. Now, the worst has happened and senior politi- have a similar effect—petting your cat or dog helps induce a comparable mental state. Furry pets always seem to have that sort of effect on people. Another thing you can do is to take a good old-fashioned nap. Put in your favourite napping CD, close the blinds, lie down somewhere comfy, and catch some Z’s during gaps in your timetable. It’s a cost-effective way to rejuvenate when you have a few minutes to spare. What about getting lost in the world of fantasy and fiction? Rent a movie or settle down with a good book that is bound to capture your attention entirely and your imagination too. Losing yourself in anything really helps to take your mind off stuff. Such complete concentration makes you enjoy your active times that much more. Does September always have to be such a hectic month? It is up to you because it is all in the way you choose to think and feel. cians are shrugging their shoulders as if there was nothing they could have done. Scientists are offering similar warnings about climate change, and the White House’s response has been even cooler. This time, however, with discourse open- ing up about the connection between global warming and extreme weather, the public may not be as willing to accept inaction as an official policy.