Some people just fundamentally don’t enjoy the winter. There are those who would much rather recline in the sun than build a snowman in the nippy December air. What are sometimes spoken of less than personal preference are the actual benefits to a mild, more autumn feeling winter. Aside from one’s own opinion, there are some cold hard benefits to a mild winter.
No makeup days for children
Children are less likely to enjoy this fact but for working parents it’s a huge benefit. Missed days are times that parents have to find alternative childcare and the makeup days are usually tacked onto the beginning of the summer, throwing off family vacations or other plans. When ice and snow covers the ground there’s a plausible dilemma. Is it safe for people to drive in this? Is the risk worth the chance of an injured student or employee? More often than not the choice veers on the side of caution and a snow day results.
Save on heating costs
One obvious benefit, you’ll save on heating costs! With warmer weather outdoors, the inside of your house will in turn stay warmer. Every eight hour period, a one degree drop from your normal temperature will reduce your fuel bill about one percent. During a mild winter you’ll naturally need less help from your heating system, potentially saving you a good amount of money.
Plants can survive
Growing a beautiful garden through tediously weeding and watering only to see it wither in the harsh winter months is a real blow. During a mild winter more than your pansies can survive. A number of hardy, fall plants can tough it out through a mild winter. Even tomato plants that wither in frost can survive through a less harsh cold season. Many varieties of decorative flowers can also survive; you might just avoid that barren look gardens tend to take on during the winter.
Less sickness
Make no mistake; it’s possible to get sick in any weather. Summer cold anyone? But chances of the flu and winter colds fall when there’s warmer weather. It’s not that germs thrive in cold air, quite the opposite actually but when we stay cooped up inside to escape the cold we come into contact with people more often and share more germs with them. Sickness can just spread more easily in the winter. It’s much easier to contract a sibling’s cold if you’re inside with them all day than if you’re out in the open air. Common sense dictates, if you shake hands with a potentially sick person, wash your hands or use sanitizer before touching your face or other people, this is the best way to prevent further spread of infections and viruses.
Cities save on maintenance
Whether you’ve given it a thought or not, people have to drive those snow plows you see. It requires manpower and fuel and maintenance that the city shells out for. More money is spent removing snow and ice during winters that are heavy in cold weather. During a winter with little ice and snow, naturally less effort will be required to maintain the roads.
Safer driving conditions
Based on media reports, the average number of deaths due to icy roads in the US from 2008 to 2010 was fatalities per year. Along with rain, icy weather is the most hazardous to drive in. During a mild winter you get the benefit of less worry when it comes to you or your loved ones driving.
Although snowy winter months can be described as magical and traditional, comfort yourself during the warmer Januarys by reminding yourself there are some benefits to the situation.
