Alaska’s environment and economy depend on each other

For the past couple of months, the phrase “budget deficit” has been everywhere. In late March, I spent a week in our state’s capitol with a group of dedicated teenagers to talk about conservation with our legislators. Urgent environmental issues, especially the threat of climate change, are consistently neglected by Alaska’s politicians. As an 18-year-old, whose future depends on this state’s well being, it is shocking for me to witness people in power that are blind to the fact that Alaska’s environment and Alaska’s economy are dependent on each other. Because the climate and finances are intrinsically linked and must be considered with equal weight in order to ensure our state’s security, we must be proactive against climate change as we discuss the budget and the future of Alaska.

I often say I was born and raised in Alaska, but the truth is that I was raised by Alaska. I grew up in Kenny Lake, a rural community in the Copper River Valley, where my family relied on the land for both recreation and survival. My most beloved memories are of spending time in the outdoors, whether collecting berries, climbing mountains, or skiing through the snow. It hurts me deeply to know that this land, and the livelihood of its inhabitants, is at risk because of economic downfall.

The exhaustion of our most lucrative non-renewable resource is not an isolated incident, and it’s no coincidence that the oil crisis and the climate crisis are beginning to unfold simultaneously. What was once a booming revenue source has begun to cost us more than it pays due to the immense oil subsidies we provide and the rapidly depleting oil wells. With a daily barrel flow at less than a quarter of what it was at its peak and dropping over 5% each year, oil production is no longer profitable enough for our state to ignore its ill effects. If we continue to support this destructive, declining industry through expensive tax credits it will continue to cost Alaskans both economically and environmentally.

As our state government’s budget deficit continues to widen, Alaska is also experiencing issues caused by increasing global temperatures from carbon dioxide emissions. Sea levels are rising, snowpack is decreasing, our oceans are acidifying, and wildfires are ripping across the state. As the natural ecosystems and landscapes are profoundly altered by rising temperatures, the economy of Alaska will also suffer the consequences. If Alaska doesn’t take immediate action on climate change we’ll have to deal with the costs of diminishing natural resources and natural disaster relief.

The changes in climate we’re experiencing today are just the beginning. If we do not act immediately, the impacts of climate change will alter the state so profoundly that our current way of life will be irretrievable. The fiscal crisis is parallel to our climate crisis; we are currently faced with our last chance to balance our budget before we hit a tipping point, where cuts to state infrastructure and programs would do drastic, irreversible damage to Alaska. We are responsible not only for our own well being, but for the well being of the future generations that will inherit this state. For their sake, we cannot be shortsighted in these next crucial weeks.

Increased oil subsidies, at the expense of education programs, public safety, and environmental protection, will at best provide short term relief. We must instead focus on protecting our natural resources and developing new revenue, such as renewable energy, that can provide for our economy without jeopardizing the environment. A smart plan for our future can bring us away from this point of no return for our both our climate and our budget.

One day, I want to take my own children by the hand and share with them the same experiences I was fortunate enough to have growing up in Alaska. I do not want the environment of my childhood to be a mere fairy tale to them, or their children, or grandchildren. We all need to join together in asking Alaska’s legislature to consider the stakes of the decisions they make, for ourselves and for the future.

Elvie Underwood is an Alaska Youth for Environmental Action delegate who recently graduated from West Valley High School in Fairbanks. This column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman or its parent company, Wick Communications.