Time to own up to global climate change

To the editor:

It’s hard to wrap my head around the devastating Earth changes that have occurred since I started working for Chickaloon Village 20 years ago, such as depletion of natural resources, pollution of the oceans, unsustainable population growth and potentially disastrous climate change.

I realized the importance when several activist cousins explained why we had to work as hard as possible to protect our surroundings. It was for our grandchildren and their grandchildren to the seventh generation. When I understood the magnitude of that concept I sunk my heart and soul into making positive changes whenever and wherever I could by speaking out and writing against people who abuse the Earth.

Despite efforts by many caring people, it happened: global climate change that probably will result in catastrophes unimaginable. (I doubt that 97 percent of the scientific experts are wrong.) I think it’s time we all own up to global climate change. Too many of us were willing to risk global destruction in favor of short-term gain and personal convenience. But still the mainstream media, politicians and exploitive corporations pretend it’s not happening. It’s almost enough to make a person give up — or try to avoid the gloom by making believe the obvious doesn’t exist.

I am so thankful for my activist family members and friends who continue to work toward caring for the Earth and her inhabitants in spite of tremendous odds. It takes a great strength of the human spirit to keep stepping into the forefront and speak our truths. I think a good beginning for everyone is to realize that all life is sacred. And as my Ahtna ancestors taught, humans were put on this Earth to take care of it, and if we do a good job, we will be provided with what we need.

Perhaps we should consider what Nobel laureate J. M Coetzee stated in his novel “The Age of Iron:” “Cherishing life itself can morph into action like nothing else. In doing so, it becomes the ultimate antidote to despair.”

Patricia Wade

Palmer