Having clean air to breathe is a privilege. I envision a world where people get to enjoy summers that they can breathe safely in. I remember one summer during high school when I stepped out of my summer school class to a smokey sky. The sky looked brown, my eyes teared up, it was hard to breathe, and the smell of smoke radiated through the open. This continued on for about 2 weeks and it was sad to wake up every morning to an air quality warning living in one of the countries with the best air quality. A fire was the main cause of this and it did not stop for a long time. Now, every summer, forest fires seem to be the norm and it is sad to see myself getting used to it. To ensure that everyone and every organism can enjoy their summers safely, everyone needs to be informed and educated on how much of a negative impact this one month can have. I think having educational workshops in schools and the government hiring more people to restrict the use of fire in danger zones such as campsites would be a small yet easy beginning to ensure we can breathe clean air every summer.
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Hi Eunee! I completely relate to the experience you had! The smoke can be extremely irritating to your lungs and eyes and therefore, these fires can lead to negative consequences in human and animal health. Having more educational workshops sounds like a great idea to grow awareness!
Outside of our summers/forest fire period, BC usually has pretty great air. We only get a glimpse of what bad air quality is compared to many other countries who have to deal with it year-round. I'm absolutely not saying that it's good we have our forests burning but I think that if they are going to be on fire, experiences like yours are crucial in making people care about helping fix our environment and will be great motivators to get our forest fire management in line. So thank you for sharing your experience, I think that the more we talk about it and show others that Canadian wildfires are a tangible issue with serious repercussions, the closer we are to remedying the issue.
I agree with this post and I think you've articulated a very real feeling when it comes to air quality. It's a very tangible issue and consequence that everyone faces and it really shows its head as its inescapable. I think workshops are great as it's a great way to start a conversation on something that previously wouldn't have that dialogue.
Hi Eunee thanks for sharing a great post! I definitely agree that people should be more educated on the bad effects of wildfires, and I guess the benefits of prescribed fires should also be more educated and supported.
Hi Eunee!
Great post! I agree that we often take our clean air for granted and only realize when the air gets bad. Love the idea of focusing on educating people as the first step in making a change in the varying air quality we experience - by teaching people first hand, we can then all collaborate later to ensure we implement strategies to keep our air clean!
Climate change affects many facets of life that will all turn around and cause this positive feedback loop of detriment. Great post!