Dear Editor:

I am a climate-concerned voter. As this election season progressed, I was disturbed that the warming of our planet — primarily the result of burning fossil fuels — got so little attention from either side. Most Americans have concerns about our climate and planetary future. So, as soon as possible, I would urge the current legislature, including our rep Kevin Kiley to address the implications of our warming planet and its present consequences for forest health and the health of our communities.  I urge the next session to carry the work forward. Let’s all recognize that climate change is not a partisan issue.  It affects us all.

Sincerely,

Charles  Robinson, Truckee

Dear Editor:

I write as a grandfather very concerned about the heating planet that I and those past their primary careers are leaving to our grandchildren. I urge our recently re-elected Congressman Kevin Kiley to do everything that he can to preserve the good climate threat mitigation legislation that has already passed. It is helping to lower our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, the cause of the climate threat.

But beyond that for the new congressional session starting in January, I and my neighbors urge him to surprise us, his constituents by introducing new bills to take our mitigation efforts up a notch. Here in Truckee, we are facing the annual threat of more severe wildfires, greater unhealthy smoky days, and increasingly overly hot, summer days exacerbating the wildfire threat. Not only do these threats affect our public health but they are slowly eroding our community’s economic health.

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The upcoming example is that we are having a decreasing snow season negatively affecting our winter sports economy. What more do we as High Sierra citizens need to do to convey to Congressman Kiley to take action on our concerns? Any pro-climate action on his and his congressional colleagues will give us hope for better days for our grandchildren, and we will be glad that we have elected a person who is fighting for us and our future generations in Washington.

Sincerely,

John Sorensen, Truckee

Dear Editor: Growing Up in the Sierra Nevadas: Seeing Climate Change Evolve

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Growing up in the Sierra Nevadas is one of the greatest gifts any kid could ever receive, and I was lucky enough to spend my childhood in Truckee, California. My parents met on the slopes of Bear Valley in 1998, where I first learned to ski at 18 months old. A few years later I would join the race team, competing for eight years at Bear Valley, and later Sugar Bowl, attending their academy where I would ski six days a week. Suffice it to say I am a mountain kid–snow is in my bones.

As I have grown and changed as a person, so have the mountains around me. Over the years Tahoe has begun to experience dramatic weather extremes. In 2014, we had the lowest snowpack since 1977; then two years later, a record-high snowpack. November 2022 came with a 70% below-average snowfall before December shattered records with a 300% above-average snowfall. Despite these record-breaking highs, our average annual snowpack has declined by an average of 18% since 1955. These dramatic swings and overall decline have also greatly impacted the local economy since it revolves around tourism.

I urge citizens of our beautiful home to become more aware and involved in the community. Voting for candidates who will help fund restoration efforts and pass propositions, volunteering at environmental non-profits, reducing energy consumption, or installing solar panels (which give significant tax breaks) all really help the environment. These many small steps add up.

It is sad to see the mountains I cherish slowly degrade as our climate changes and to witness local businesses suffer as a result. Tahoe is a harbinger of climate change, but I hope it can also become an example of how a community can come together to work toward change.

Cooper Broll, Truckee

Dear Editor:

As the election season wraps up, I want to share one of the issues that was top of mind for me when I cast my ballot: climate action. This year, like many others, we in the High Sierra faced the brutal impacts of our changing climate, from devastating wildfires and associated smoke to prolonged droughts. These challenges aren’t just environmental–they affect our health, economy, and future. We need bold, immediate action to transition to renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, invest in prescribed burns and forest health and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Now that the votes are in, I urge the elected officials serving our region, from the local leaders of North Tahoe to district leaders like Representative Kevin Kiley, to prioritize climate action. California has long been a leader in environmental policy, and we need to maintain that momentum while advocating for stronger national action as well.

Let’s hold our leaders accountable to ensure that addressing the climate crisis remains at the forefront of their agenda. Together, we can protect the natural beauty of our state and secure a livable planet for the future.

Sincerely,
Meg Heim
Co-Leader, North Tahoe Citizens’ Climate Lobby