Residents and environmental organizations from 28 legislative districts met at the State Capitol Wednesday to lobby for environmental bills that will protect ecological water, restore the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund and combat climate change.
House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez, D-Yuma, Rep. Rosanna Babaldón, D- Sahuarita, Sen. Andrea Dalessandro, D-Green Valley, Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tempe, and Rep. Andres Cano, D-Tucson, spoke to the group outside in the Rose Garden about environmental protection issues.
“This legislature must get serious about addressing our climate crisis, we must recognize it for what it is, a public health crisis. Extreme weather events, including extreme heat, is a public health crisis,” said Fernandez. “Death of Arizonians each year is real. That includes people who can not afford electric bills, who don’t even have air conditioning in their homes and how about the people who don’t have homes.”
In honor of Arizona’s 107th birthday on Friday, the group wished for a new five C’s to ensure a sustainable future. These five C’s are climate preparedness, clean air and water for all Arizonians, conservation of lands, waters and wildlife, a commitment to efficient and renewable energy, and cultural inclusiveness and diversity.
“If the land is not good enough, the wildlife cannot live here. If water is nasty it affects us all, so we need to protect everything,” said Anna Mohr-Almeida, a student at Westwood high school and a member of Westwood Earth Club
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The group broke out in teams and were assigned appointments with their representatives in their legislative district to discuss environmental issues that are important to them and deliver an Arizona birthday card.
Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy student Tia Stephens, 18, said, “I have grown to be a part of my environment, for me the fascinating beauty has become my life source. The trees my lungs, the water my pulsing heartbeat and the cool breeze my firing neurons. So, when the environment is hurting, I too am hurting. With each act of degradation, the environment that gave me so many gifts is quickly turning into a threat. The climate is rapidly becoming unlivable.”
Students from seven high schools around the state attended the event.
“We’re looking at the environment and when you do that you examine the problems and solutions. So, the point is, how can we be the change we want to see in the world,” said Sheila Scanlan, an advanced placement environmental science teacher at Highland high school in Gilbert. “This gives (her students) an understanding and an opening to see how it works and what it takes for their voice to be heard.”
A spirit circle formed in the rose garden, where Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, a ministry devoted to deepening the connecting between ecology and faith, encouraged members to sing along to “Call Down a Blessing” and talk about an element or place they fell in love within Arizona.
“We learned from Dad and Mom especially on road trips how important it is to protect
the places we live and the places we love, I’m tearing up because Dad passed away two years at the end of this month,” said Lynn Demuth,55. “Every time I look at the blue sky, the clouds, the mountains, the rivers, the valleys, I think of my father and the precious gift he passed down to his kids. I love everything about Arizona, I can’t imagine living anywhere else because this is my home.”
Many students like Aditi Narayana, junior at Basis Phoenix and co-founder of Zero Hour Phoenix, a youth-run organization that supports environmental justice, we’re thankful for the opportunity to meet with representatives and discuss issues that are affecting them.
“I think a lot of youth don’t think they have a voice in their government and in how the environment can be safe, but they do,” Narayana said.
This was the 21st environment day at the capitol, drawing more than 300 attendees.
“The one thing I know is Arizonians really do care about environmental protection, they care about action on climate. They can see the impacts,” said Sandy Bahr, Grand Canyon Chapter director of Sierra Club.
“We see the extreme weather, we know it’s happening and we know its costly in our health, our economy and definitely for our future, sometimes legislatures forget that and this day can help remind about what’s really important.”
Contact the reporter at jpbeltra@asu.edu.
