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Kimberly McKay
Candidate for
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Environmental Issues.I remember a few years back while sitting in the frozen tundra of Minnesota with temperatures well below zero thinking "Global warming? Where?" I couldn't get it through my head because I wasn't seeing it here. The days were short, the nights were long, and the weather cold with plenty of snow for everybody. However, a few years later and I definitely am seeing a difference in what is going on with our weather here. And it is not just our weather that's changing but also our animals are being affected by it.Some of you wonder how I know. Well, let me take you back a few years. I grew up here in St. Louis County out in the farm country of the Cotton area. I didn't ride ATV's or snowmobiles to get out in the woods. I had a horse, a dog, and a saddle bag. When I went on the river I went in a canoe or an inner tube. I grew up respecting nature and following rules set forth by my great-grandparents, grandparents and my parents. (I was fortunate enough to know five of my great-grandparents.) We were a hunting family but the rule was never shoot unless you know exactly what your shooting at and never shoot anything you don't plan on eating. Also all guns are loaded and don't touch them with-out permission. We lived on the river and the rules were very clear you bring back whatever you brought down no littering. All fires must be out and cold before you leave. If it takes four cans of water to put it out then put on eight don't take any chances. We grew almost all of our own food (meats and vegetables). We mainly heated with wood because it was cheaper. When we went out to get wood we always took the downed trees first because we didn't want them to be wasted. There was always work to be done on the farm and hard work was a everyday occurrence. I remember big stands of birch trees and fields full of flowers, clear waters in the river, plenty of fish and peace and quiet. To this day when I want to get rejuvenated I head for the woods or the river. However things are changing out there. The weather is warmer, the migrating patterns are different and the water isn't as clear as it once was. We need to take steps to ensure that our environment is protected for our future generations. I'm not saying we all need to go back to horse and buggy, but we need to take into consideration that everything we do has a effect on the things around us.
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