The High Cost of a Cheap Break in the Sun The retirement tradition of flying south for the winter has consequences. But global north consumers can still make choices. Ximena González is a freelance writer and editor based in Calgary. Her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail and the Sprawl. SHARES Snowbirds like Donna Sharpe were enticed by the sun and sand of the Mexican west coast but soon realized their consumption of this paradise destination had larger, unseen effects. Photo by Samaria Castellón. More than a decade ago, Donna Sharpe, a retired office administrator from Calgary, travelled to Bucerías, Mexico, for the first time.