Celebrate Earth Day with OFT

Apr 16, 2024

Small Choices For A Better Tomorrow

Happening annually on April 22, Earth Day is an event that serves as a reminder of the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability. On this day each year, people around the world come together to celebrate our planet and raise awareness about the pressing issues facing our environment. In this blog, we will explore the history of Earth Day, its significance in promoting environmental protection, and practical ways individuals can contribute to a healthier planet. Join the OFT team as we delve into the beauty of nature, the challenges we face, and the collective efforts needed to preserve Earth for future generations. Let’s make every day Earth Day.

The first Earth Day was organized in 1970 as a response to growing concerns about environmental degradation and pollution. This event marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement, leading to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States and the passage of key environmental legislation. Although it started years ago, it has a greater significance today.

In Canada, current environmental issues include climate change, deforestation, water pollution, and biodiversity and farmland loss. Initiatives aimed at addressing these issues include the implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms, the protection of endangered species and habitats, the promotion of renewable energy sources, and farmland protection policies.

Individuals can make a positive impact on the environment by incorporating simple yet effective practices into their daily lives. Some of which includes the following:

Click here to see more...

Video: Spring 2026 weather outlook for Wisconsin; What an early-arriving El Niño could mean

Northeast Wisconsin is a small corner of the world, but our weather is still affected by what happens across the globe.

That includes in the equatorial Pacific, where changes between El Niño and La Niña play a role in the weather here -- and boy, have there been some abrupt changes as of late.

El Niño and La Niña are the two phases of what is collectively known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO for short. These are the swings back and forth from unusually warm to unusually cold sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean along the equator.

Since this past September, we have been in a weak La Niña, which means water temperatures near the Eastern Pacific equator have been cooler than usual. That's where we're at right now.

Even last fall, the long-term outlook suggested a return to neutral conditions by spring and potentially El Niño conditions by summer.

But there are some signs this may be happening faster than usual, which could accelerate the onset of El Niño.

Over the last few weeks, unusually strong bursts of westerly winds farther west in the Pacific -- where sea surface temperatures are warmer than average -- have been observed. There is a chance that this could accelerate the warming of those eastern Pacific waters and potentially push us into El Niño sooner than usual.

If we do enter El Nino by spring -- which we'll define as the period of March, April and May -- there are some long-term correlations with our weather here in Northeast Wisconsin.

Looking at a map of anomalously warm weather, most of the upper Great Lakes doesn't show a strong correlation, but in general, the northern tiers of the United States do tend to lean to that direction.

The stronger correlation is with precipitation. El Niño conditions in spring have historically come with a higher risk of very dry weather over that time frame, so this will definitely be a transition we'll have to watch closely as we move out of winter.