New Member Profile and Climate Action Issue Team Announcement
Lydia Linke | Published on 2/28/2021
By Lydia Linke
Growing up, supporting land conservation or voting for stricter hunting laws earned you the name ‘Greenie’ or ‘Tree Hugger.’ These were unkind terms labeling you an outsider, or a person who was not knowledgeable or in touch with the community at large. My town also became infamous for its prior mayor who became a Vice Presidential running mate and coined the slogan, “Drill, Baby, Drill!” The large oil field in Prudhoe Bay nicknamed, “The North Slope,” employed much of my town and community. As an Alaskan resident I also understood that most families depend on the annual checks from the federal government from the surplus earnings created by the oil.
Although my understanding of environmentalism and the impact of oil was not fully informed I also understood how to take pride in the land around me. Due to the distance from the continental U.S., grocery items from the store tended to be less flavorful and more expensive than what could be grown in a garden. My family and I grew the majority of our own vegetables as well as canned and froze our own goods. We sewed and crafted much of our home decor and clothing, and gifted our friends and family from the surplus of our hunting and fishing adventures. When I left Alaska, I was saddened at the acres of cement and concrete in almost every city created from parking lots, roads, and buildings. It unsettled me that nature was something that you went to and not something that existed around you. However, I soon began to adapt to a new culture of productivity and convenience.
Now that I am older, I am trying to piece together the parts of my life that I want my future to hold and examine the status quo of what is considered good or common practice. I want to challenge the necessary evils that exist both in my past and my present. I hope to build a life that is environmentally sustainable for this present moment as well as sustainable for my children and grandchildren. The growing climate crisis challenges the continuation of much that I hold dear. I hope to continue learning how to take the necessary changes at home, as well as push for better environmental practices in my town and government.
Please join me in the Climate Action Issue team as we learn about environmental needs as well as finding and exploring new areas for action in our government and communities. Our first meeting is March 6th, at 10am. Please register through this link to the Climate Action Team Meeting Sign Up.