Today's global warming spotlight: Alberta town isolated, milk ~$16/gallon

[Newsjock]

http://www.cbc.ca/north/story/chip-stranded-10012006.html

People in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta are running out of propane and groceries as warm weather prevents the opening of a winter road to the outside world.

The winter roads into the community 140 kilometres south of Fort Smith, N.W.T. remain closed, and flights have been frequently halted because of fog.

... Fuel and perishables are always more expensive in Chipewyan, but with supplies running low, four litres of milk costs $16.

That's if you can get it. Until the next plane can land, the local store is out of milk, eggs and bread, among other perishables.

more

[Poll_Blind]

1. Horrible situation but I'm not sure whose fault this is, if anyone's.

I'm used to hearing about inflated oil prices because of the idiotic moves on the part of the Bush administration and other, similarly-aligned governments. However, this appears to be related more to the combination of living in an isolated community and bad weather. I've read the entire article...is there some political slant to this that I'm missing or is it just one of those "if you think you have it bad where you live..." threads? Because, if you think you've got it bad where you live, they've certainly got it worsh. Sheesh!

OnEdit: Noticed the original poster indicated that this was linked to global warming. I don't mean to be adversarial when I ask if you could help me understand how globabl warming has changed this remote village's climate?

PB

[Newsjock]

2. It's in the sub-Arctic

... (just a little bit south of the 60th parallel) where the increase in temperature in recent years has been far more pronounced than down here in the continental USA.

That's all. And yes, if we think we've got it bad down here, climate change in the far north is turning lives and entire communities upside-down. What a shame that most Muhrkins probably think nobody lives north of Edmonton, assuming they even know what an "Edmonton" is.

[applegrove]

3. Some of those towns are served by highways that run straight across 200

mile lakes in the winter. Those highways must all be so closed. Very sad. Industry & mining use winter roads too!

[Jayhawk Lib]

4. $16.00 gallon for milk!!??

The store must be run by a greedy republican. Must be a Halliburton or Exon company store.