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Jill Leaness: A Pennsylvania Girl in an Idaho World: My experience at the Northwest Climate Conference 

6/11/2015

4 Comments

 
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This week I had the privilege of attending the Northwest Climate Conference.  The conference changes location every year (across the Northwest United States), and this year it was in northern Idaho.  While I am currently attending the University of Idaho, I am not originally from this area, in fact I am originally from the northeast, a suburb of Philadelphia to be exact. What, you may wonder, does my hometown have to do with my experience at a conference about climate change?  

Well, ever since coming to Idaho, I have learned and seen very different perspectives on natural resources than I learned as a child in Pennsylvania public school and as an undergrad in New Jersey.  Nowhere, has this different perspective been more prevalent than at the Climate Conference.  Now, don't get me wrong, this was still a climate change conference, it was a combination of scientists, managers, students, tribal leaders etc that all care about and have a passion for understanding climate change.  BUT what was very evident to me at this conference was the different motivators people in this part of the country have to stop climate change.  

For example, the opening speaker at the conference spent his hour at the podium presenting why climate change will negatively impact recreational hunters and fishermen. He explained how elk would be harder to find because they will move to higher elevations, how cold water fish such as steelhead will decline.  He made extremely relevant and valid points about the ecological impacts of climate change, but all under the guise that we should put an end to climate change so we can continue to hunt and fish.  I am not saying this perspective is right or wrong, and honestly in the end it doesn't matter WHY a person wants to take action to stop climate change, just that he or she DOES take action, but I can't say I expected someone to discuss hunting and fishing at a climate change conference led by academics.  

Some topics I did expect, but also coincide a lot more with northwest concerns than northeast concerns were wildfires and water resource issues.  But, what am I trying to get at here?  What I'm trying to convey, is that climate change is impacting the different regions of the United States distinctly and we, as individuals, are each experiencing the effects in varying ways, depending on how we were raised.  If you were raised hunting and fly fishing you will be impacted by the loss of the species you hunt and fish for.  If you grew up an avid skier you will be disappointed when your favorite slopes lack snow.  But in the end it doesn't matter WHAT you notice first, or WHAT motivates you, what matters is that you acknowledge climate change is impacting your life, and that it is time to do something about it.  

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Joe Heller cartoon, found on todayeco.com
4 Comments
Prairie Problems
6/11/2015 03:08:14 pm

I think because there is such a variety of ways that climate affects people it's difficult to see the big picture. I am not a hunter or fisher, so I don't see those changes. I am not a skier, so I don't see those changes. I have "fish-eye" syndrome where I only see the changes that affect me. It is quite a challenge to get everyone is see the big picture - the picture that includes everyone's own unique "fish-eye" viewpoint. I challenge you to keep on that path. Keep sharing those viewpoints, so that eventually the big picture is the only picture that people understand.

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Logan Aument
17/11/2015 02:09:01 pm

I never really thought about how the climate change can affect a different array of people. It is interesting to see that the hunters and fishers would be affected. The first thing i think about with climate change is the extreme temperatures that happen around the world.

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William Lewis Jr link
21/11/2015 09:37:39 am

Hello Jill Leaness,

I am also from Pennsylvania, currently attending York College of Pennsylvania. I grew up as a military child, and then joined the military as an adult, therefore, I was given the opportunity to travel, In doing so, I too was able to view the effects of climate change on a broader scope. From the hurricanes and floods of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, along with the droughts in Texas and Oklahoma which coexisted with its nearby tornado valley, all the way the dry, wildfires of California. So, I agree with you completely: regardless of one’s reason, one must acknowledge the impact climate change has on the lives of us all, and begin taking actions to prevent it.
My questions are: Did anyone at the conference speak out about setting aside personal agendas and exclusively focusing on the fact that actions need to be taken? Or was it something that seemed to loom within the atmosphere yet was never spoken upon?
I ask these questions because, someone opposing the concept of climate change could have easily brought up the theory of evolution, to refute the claims of the first speaker. For example, through climate change, instinctively, one would believe Elk would be harder to find because they would ascend to higher elevations, or how cold water fish would begin to decline, etc. Although this is logical, one could argue that, although many cold water fish may die, many others may begin adapting to the new climate changes, thus evolving. The same with the Elk, for every species on this planet has been doing so for thousands of years now. Further arguing that: this evolution could only occur if these animals were left to evolve, thus leading to a protest/conference about the effects of hunting and fishing on the earth’s ecological system.
Personally, I have never attended one of these conferences, however, my idea for a conference of this magnitude would be not to discuss the personal opinions to why one should combat Climate Change, rather what are the causes behind these changes, and what can we do as a whole, to stop, and prevent this from ever happening again.
Thank You for taking the first two stops in the plan of action, which are: obtaining knowledge on the situation, and, secondly, sharing that knowledge.

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Sana Uddin
16/8/2022 07:59:21 am

Hi,

I hope this finds you well! I am contacting you on behalf of the Community College Initiative Program at NOVA Community College, this program is sponsored on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. More info can be founded here:
•https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/community-college-initiative-program
•https://www.nvcc.edu/ccip/administration.html

We are in the planning stages of hosting our program participants in Washington, DC, January 9th-11th. I wanted to reach out and see if you would be interested and available to speak to our program participants regarding the Climate Trends and Changes, Sustainability Measures, etc.

I hope to correspond further with you!

Warm regards,
Sana

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