FROM THE DICTIONARY OF LEONARD DICAPRIO:

“I’ve never experienced something so first-hand that was so dramatic. You see the fragility of nature and how easily things can be completely transformed with just a few degrees difference. It’s terrifying, and it’s what people are talking about all over the world. And it’s simply just going to get worse.”

“We were in Calgary and the locals were saying, ‘This has never happened in our province ever.’ We would come and there would be eight feet of snow, and then all of a sudden a warm gust of wind would come.”

CHINOOK – ACTUAL DEFINITION: 
A Native American word meaning “snow eater”. A strong, warm westerly wind experienced where long mountain chains sit at a certain angle to the prevailing wind.

As Albertan’s, we are all too familiar with the beloved Chinook. A warm reprieve from our usual extremity numbing temperatures. It can bring massive temperature shifts of +20 ̊C or more in some cases. Enough to have what looks like a winter wonderland one day, and then a Chinook rolls through and there’s not a trace of snow the next day.

Andrea Turko
Managing Editor
OILFIELD PULSE

Many celebrities use their fame to do a lot of good in the world. Climate change is an important and very real issue, but as a self-proclaimed climate change warrior, Leo stands on his pulpit and often expounds his opinions disguised as facts to an eagerly listening fan base. For someone who so vocally advocates for climate change and decreasing our carbon footprint, hypocrisy is afoot. Private jets, luxury yachts, extravagant homes, he’s not exactly practicing what he preaches. It would be a sure bet that his carbon footprint is far greater than most average Canadians!

We don’t begrudge him owning expensive things or taking vacations most of us could only dream of, he’s extremely successful and rightfully so. But at least get your facts straight! On the heels of Leo’s Golden Globe win (and misguided end to his acceptance speech) for The Revenant, and his recently announced Oscar nomination for Best Actor, we wanted to share with you this Letter to the Editor that we received from one of our concerned oil & gas readers on page 36.

Dear Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio: 

Let me first say I think you are one heck of an actor. Your mother knew so when you were only five years old and channeled you into a career where you could take advantage of your good looks. School was not for you and I imagine that was recognized early on. So…… you’re a good looking guy with what I assume is a good memory and absolutely NO education on climate, geography or anything else for that matter.

While I agree that certainly anyone may join the “cause” of their choosing and espouse their views for the world to see, that opportunity should come with some rules! For one, you do not get to have your own set of facts, everyone has their own opinions, but facts are facts my friend. I simply could not believe how you worked your incorrect and ignorant thoughts on climate change into an awards interview at the Golden Globes.

As an Albertan I am sick and tired of hearing you spout off about the impacts of climate change you saw while making your little film here. As I’m sure you have been told MANY times by anyone with more than a half a brain, you experienced what is called a Chinook, which is a weather phenomenon unique to Southern Alberta. The effects of this Chinook were exacerbated by the impact of this being an El Niño year.

For people like you who jump on a cause without getting ALL the facts here’s a little primer. El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of what is known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. The ENSO cycle is a scientific term that describes the fluctuations in temperature between the ocean and atmosphere in the east-central Equatorial Pacific (approximately between the International Date Line and 120 degrees West).

La Niña is sometimes referred to as the cold phase of ENSO and El Niño as the warm phase of ENSO. These deviations from normal surface temperatures can have large-scale impacts not only on ocean processes, but also on global weather and climate.

Alberta typically has a number of Chinooks over the course of the winter and these are created due to Calgary’s proximity to the Rocky Mountains and the effects those mountains have on the air and moisture coming on from the West Coast. The winds are caused by moist weather patterns, originating off the Pacific coast, cooling as they climb the western slopes, and then rapidly warming as they drop down the eastern side of the mountains. The Chinook usually begins with a sudden change in wind direction towards the west or southwest, and a rapid increase in wind speed.

Try and get the whole story before you start shooting your mouth off and applying as much spin as you can to support your favorite causes. You’re likely one of the geniuses who figures the US won the War of 1812 as you never let the facts get in the way of a good story!

Do us ALL a favour and make your next movie anywhere but Alberta!

A Concerned Albertan