The Summer on Fire

BWCA Summer 2021

BWCA Summer 2022

And at that same moment, the BWCA was burning. Sixty-five fires had been reported, 29 of which were human-caused (SNF). Though we avoided the worst of it, at times, the sky filled with smog, and the sun shone red. Sometimes I held my breath because it just felt so awful to breathe—not something I'd like to experience ever again.

Even when all you see is sparkling water and blue skies… that doesn’t mean nothing is on fire.

(Sorry guys, posting this part is how I’m getting extra credit for class.)

Wildfires technically contribute to climate change, but fossil fuels are far more concerning; fires are natural. Plants contain carbon, and when they burn, that carbon is released into the atmosphere as CO₂. The nice part: plants also absorb CO₂ and store it as carbon. The carbon cycle is a self-sustaining system.

Fossil fuels? Not part of the natural system. 

Gonna need some brain power in 3…2…1… because fossil fuels come from outside the carbon cycle, we now have too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that helps the Earth retain heat (which, in moderation, is good), but now that there’s too much CO₂, the planet is overheating; the polar ice is melting which causes sea levels to rise (say buh-bye to half of Florida); and weather patterns are going haywire—causing more fires, tornadoes, droughts, hurricanes, etc. All of which will seriously mess up farmers—then boom, no food—and we’re all going to die. Well, ok, maybe we might not die, but we will have significantly less options for food. Oh, and coral reefs, those magical, colorful, out-of-this-world places that are home to more than 25% of all sea life? Dying (thanks to ocean acidification from CO₂ buildup in the atmosphere (NOAA)), just like most of the sensitive ecosystems on this planet. Let's not forget the possibility of mass migration and displacement due to the reduction of land and resources. But ehhhhh who cares about the people who don’t have enough money for a private jet? (Please know that I'm being so, SO sarcastic about that.)

I hope that slightly hysterical info-dump helped clarify the big picture. The main cause of impending doom via climate change? Fossil fuels. This one thing is throwing millions of things out of balance. And here’s the kicker—we already have viable alternative energy sources. Off the top of my head (sorry if I miss a few):

• Solar (on cars, roofs, windows, etc.)
• Wind (duh)
• Hydropower (bet you knew this one)
• Tidal energy (a.k.a. wave power)
• Trash (BURNNNN and filter the smoke)
• Geothermal (heat from the Earth = free energy) ⭐
• Piezoelectric (ever heard of those stair steps that generate electricity??)
• Nuclear (new & improved, powerful, and as safe as humanly possible) ⭐
• Biofuels (to be continued...) ⭐

Did you know sewage can be used to generate both heat and electricity? That most organic waste—yes, even your eggshells and carrot tops—can be turned into fuel? Not to mention agricultural & forestry waste. Your used coffee grounds could save the world (jk, but also not really)! Welcome to biofuels~

The biggest contributor to climate change isn't fossil fuels—it's apathy. There’s so much innovation out there; in fact, I think we already have the kind of technology needed to save the world (though wind turbines and solars panels need to be RECYCLED gosh darn it). My magical place of peace, quiet, and healing—the Boundary Waters Canoe Area—could be safe forever...FROM THOSE DARN MINING COMPANIES.

Note: the main threat to the BWCA is a mining company called Twin Metals—a subsidiary of the Chilean mining conglomerate, Antofagasta. Everything is connected.

Here’s what gives me some peace: Nature will survive. Ish.

Countless species and ecosystems are going extinct. But heck, nature has already whipped out some plastic-eating fungi (Earth.org), and there is at least one type of organism that can even survive in space. The planet will be more or less "ok". The world as we know it won’t. We won’t.

Fun right?

You may have had a nice cup of coffee this morning, watching the frost creep up the windows, but I'm sure you already know… that doesn’t mean the world isn’t on fire~

Thanks for reading ♥️

My eyes were sunburned, so my fellow crazy girlies gave me a soaked Smokey The Bear buff to put over my eyes, and held it in place with sunglasses. Intro to the BWCA 101.