Originally Published in Tumbleweeds Magazine, Spring 2020
I never thought I’d rejoice in snow. Growing up in New England where intense winter winds would pummel snow throughout towns to create great towers of white and layer streets in dangerous coats of ice, I soon learned to be wary when the skies turned that distinctive shade of gray. Here in Santa Fe, however, I breathe a sigh of relief with each snowfall and lasting precipitation. The importance of water is ingrained into our local psyche. It’s considered foolish to complain about precipitation when it’s so integral to our survival and that of the thirsting desert ecosystem. We always need it. Those winters when we see a bare Baldy, deprived of snowpack, we worry about the aquifers. Even our fourth graders participate in an annual Water Fiesta, exploring both the properties and importance of water in our arid climate. Calling Santa Fe home means being acutely aware of the weather and changes to the climate.
Both locally and globally, climate change has taken center-stage in recent years. From extreme weather events to divesting from fossil fuels – topics centered around climate change are everywhere. Sometimes it can feel daunting and overwhelming. If we as adults feel the intense gravity of climate change, how are our kids understanding these serious topics? Though we’d love to protect our children from life’s heavier realities, the truth is our youth are constantly being exposed to issues of climate change. In a time of uncertainty and hardship, it can be hard to see positive efforts. When we look a little deeper, however, we can find sparks of inspiration.
Across the globe, young people are imploring the world, and those “adults in the room,” to take action. Desperate pleas from Greta Thunberg pushed Climate Change to the forefront of a global conversation with her powerful address to the UN and her #FridaysforFuture movement, but she wasn’t the only one making waves in the environmental movement. Consider young activists such as Jamie Margolin, the 16-year-old founder of the Zero Hour movement working to spread the word on climate change in communities worldwide; and Autumn Peltier, an internationally recognized 13-year-old advocate for clean water. The youth-led Sunrise Movement also brought a new sense of urgency to the topic with confrontations between 8-year-old children and well-respected senators from even the most progressive states.
Most inspiring for us here in Santa Fe are the efforts of our local youth. Youth United for Climate Change Action (YUCCA) organized a massive march and Climate Strike in September of 2019 and continue to organize around issues of climate change. These young people and their adult allies have taken the call for “Climate Action” to our community. Maybe this call for change is not so much about what we can teach our children, but rather, what they can teach us.
Here in Santa Fe, we are urging our community to do just that – listen to our children and heed the call to take action for our future. Time and time again, youth have shown that they are capable of creating change. Let us nurture their passions and give power to their voices and efforts.
Spring brings a glorious reawakening in nature; it also brings a heightened awareness of all that is changing in our world. It is a time to rise up, to engage with our ecosystem and demonstrate a love for our local community, plants, animals, and humans alike. There’s no better time to explore how we can grow and adapt in this changing climate.
April 2020 will mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day nationally. This year’s theme is the all-encompassing challenge, “Climate Action.” What better way to engage the whole community than a family-friendly celebration in the heart of the city? This April, the Railyard Park invites one and all to join a free, fun, and interactive Earth Day Celebration on April 26th, 2020 from 12pm – 4pm. There will be a variety of interactive learning stations, musical groups and healthy food offerings! In an effort to eliminate the impact of waste and litter at large-scale events, the Railyard Park’s Earth Day Celebration will be “zero waste”. Vendors will be offering low-waste, compostable, and recyclable packaging options and trash stations will be placed throughout the park. Visitors can learn how to properly sort their waste between recycle, trash, and compost too!
In addition to the Railyard Park’s annual Earth Day Celebration, a range of organizations and community partners will celebrate an entire Earth Month. The Earth Day Network, a DC-based non-profit dedicated to annual Earth Day themes and messaging, calls out Earth Day 2020 to “be far more than a day. [But rather] a historic moment when citizens of the world rise up in a united call for the creativity, innovation, ambition, and bravery that we need to meet our climate crisis and seize the enormous opportunities of a zero-carbon future.” (earthday.org). The Railyard Park Earth Day Celebration hopes to embody this sentiment and more. Learn from local nonprofits, businesses and organizations to see what they are doing to protect our local environment and promote healthy interactions with our earth. Then choose your own climate action to commit to in 2020!
As a part of the Railyard Park Earth Day Celebration, Santa Fe’s commitment to climate action will be visually manifested on a “pledge board”, where everyone’s unique actions are collected together. For the past year, the Railyard Park Conservancy has hosted a variety of events beyond Earth Day that are specially designed to get kids involved and engaged with their local community and ecosystem. The Railyard Park Earth Celebration will be a great way for kids to plug into the “climate action” effort. For example, Sand Play, the Railyard Park Conservancy’s popular nature-based children’s program, offers toddlers through elementary school kids a place to explore, discover, and think creatively through sand, water, toys and kitchen utensils. Sand Play will be an important feature at this year’s Earth Day Celebration and a fun and easy way for kids to connect with nature! There will also be opportunities for Earth Day Celebration participants to learn how they can support the Railyard Park’s Graze Days program, a 3-year pilot project focused on improving the Railyard Park’s ability to sequester carbon using goats and sheep. This is a critical function of the high desert grasslands environment that Santa Fe calls home.
Climate action isn’t restricted to raising a sign at a rally. It’s engaging with one’s community. It’s loving our earth, being open to learning about one’s surroundings, and sharing stories with others. It’s asking questions and speaking up. We all must struggle with the challenges of our imperfect lives, but starting somewhere is a whole lot better than not starting at all. Yes, climate change can be daunting, but when we come together most anything can be surmountable.
This April, let us rise together, youth and adults alike to demonstrate our love for this earth and its inhabitants for years to come. There is hope, people can change and we as a collective can make a difference. Like all Railyard Park Conservancy events, the 2020 Railyard Park Earth Day Celebration is designed to educate and inspire the youth as well as the adults in our community. Let your voice be heard and share your pledge to make a difference this year.
Photo Credit: Altitude by William Fong
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