Weather Storm 2021: The Cold Reality

Winter storms have been coming to the United States as a full barrage and are incapacitating many businesses and industry sectors that were already struggling due to the pandemic. Power and water outages have left millions in need of assistance, especially in Texas, as temperatures remain low for yet another day. Some people have been more impacted than others, but it is unmistakable that people everywhere need help, and this additional hurdle in 2021 once again isolates people physically (like COVID has) but unifies us in our struggle.

Many businesses have been unable to operate which puts them at a disadvantage, but the lack of goods and services being sold in our economy means that many needs are not being fulfilled, which is why it is pertinent that we get back on track as soon as possible. The issue is, none of us can quite control the weather which puts us at the mercy of Mother Nature. Workers and business owners alike are sitting at home trying to be as productive as possible with what they have available to them. Many people have already been working from home, but the lack of access to necessary supplies inhibits maximum productivity in the workspace which further proves how difficult the situation really is.

So what’s the rub? You may be thinking that all of these outages and obstacles are going to be somewhat harsh on our economy and hurt many businesses. The thing is, many businesses have already been closed due to COVID so the economic impact is already greatly reduced. The key now is to focus on safety and doing as much as possible. Depending on the employer, different people will have varied work demands, but employers should be taking the severe weather into account where it is applicable. Try to stay indoors and don’t drive to places if you don’t have to. The needs and issues of people will vary geographically, but the common denominator is that we can help each other push through this time as we have been doing the past year.

As expected, businesses will slowly reopen and allow for work to resume as normal. The issue is, this entire series of events points at one problem that isn’t always taken seriously. Climate change. With weather patterns altering and these types of events becoming more commonplace, our economy could take a big hit with the accumulation of damages and losses as time progresses. We have to focus on keeping our environment clean and healthy. Recycling more, using greater sustainable resources, even turning off the water while you wash your hands can have a huge impact. The key is to be conscientious of the matter at hand before it can’t be fixed.

-Azaan Moledina