You will get to grow old; I will not. The next 25 years will be the most important period in human history. Climate change is already impacting Utah–hazy, polluted air is evident. It’s a poison that worsens daily. On unbearably hot days, with a haze so thick you can’t see across Utah Lake, I wonder if it’s even worth pressing on, as I don’t see action being taken. Whatever policies you’ve put in place, they’re not enough. You need to be firmer, stricter, more radical. This planet will die if nothing changes soon. I want to grow old.

Please, enact robust policies to fight climate change. Initiate a tree-planting program with a goal for our state to plant one million trees in a year, targeting urban areas and deforested regions to increase our carbon sequestration capacity. Incorporating moss cultivation in urban environments can help absorb CO2 and improve air quality due to its efficiency in capturing pollutants. Robust recycling programs with curbside collection and sorting facilities to minimize waste, and offer incentives for businesses and households to adopt energy-efficient appliances and practices. Expanding green spaces by creating more urban parks and community gardens would further contribute to the fight, while providing recreational areas for residents. Promoting the use of renewable energy sources through tax credits or rebates for solar panel installations and supporting local wind energy projects is also essential. Finally, investing in development of smart grids and energy storage solutions will ensure a more reliable and sustainable energy supply for our community.

There will be voices of dissent, but there will be many more who support you–who will stand by you, cheer you on, and thank you for doing your part to secure a hopeful future. The first one through the wall is always the bloodiest. You won’t be alone going through that wall. For my future, for my nieces and nephews futures, for all our futures, push through that wall.

Sincerely yours,

Eamonn Larsen, Orem