My name is Braylon and I am 17 years old. I am a member of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA), a group dedicated to promoting positive change for the environment in Alaska. Living in Anchorage, a northern mid-sized city in the United States, I have had a relatively minimal experience with climate change. However, as a city dweller, I still care deeply about this issue. But why is that?
As city folk, we often miss the subtle changes that are happening around us. For instance, have you noticed the increase in snowstorms in the past few years? This may seem counterintuitive, but these extreme weather events are actually a result of climate change. If we don’t take action, they will only get worse. That’s why we need to declare a climate emergency.
But declaring a climate emergency is not as simple as just saying it. It is a legal status that can only be declared by our legislators or governor. That’s why AYEA is petitioning our government to declare a climate emergency. This would provide us with the necessary funding and resources to start addressing the effects of climate change and making positive changes statewide.
The best time to declare a climate emergency was years ago, but the second best time is right now. As a member of AYEA, I urge everyone to join us in this fight for our planet’s future.
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