Fiona

Fiona standing in front of salmonberry bushes at Totem Park whose berries she has noticed arriving much smaller and later than usual.

What changes have you noticed?

Berries coming later or earlier... especially this year and last year I've noticed [it]. Since there is a ton of rain I assumed a lot of berries would be late, but they were early because of the weather -- but it seems really extreme. Either them being -- well the blueberries this year were like a month early... I have memories of them being out late July, early August. And then salmonberries being very stunted and late -- last year also. Probably because of a lack of sun. And then also ocean temperature --

I've mostly swum in the summer my whole life, and as a kid, jumping in would completely take your breath away for a solid few seconds. And this year I know that ocean water gets hotter throughout the summer, [but] even early in the summer it hasn't really felt that cold at all and I swam yesterday for a really long time and it was not cold... and the air wasn't even that cold. That was weird.

And then obviously just temperature. I remember last year there was no sun, but just being in the rain -- it wasn't cold -- actually the rain was cold, but it felt like a warm, nice, not Sitka temperature. I remember there was one day where it was in the upper 80s and not sunny... It was cloudy and like freakishly warm -- like I felt the need to stay inside because it was so hot... And the seasons feel later. Like winter feels like it starts -- like there's not much in December; it's mostly like January February March which is odd.

Do you have any specific memories before these changes happened?

I always picked berries at my grandparents' house. We have a bunch of blueberries and huckleberries. And there's already blueberries there [now, in mid-July], which is crazy.

I remember the salmonberry crop at my house being huge -- like early June, and they're obviously not anymore.

Is there anything you wish you knew about the changes you've described?

It feels very anecdotal and I don't know how much of it is normal, just changes, and how much of it is climate change related. I know some of it has to be, but telling people that don't believe in climate change, it feels like it could be rebutted easily as like a "normal" change because things vary. I just think it would be interesting to learn more about it in a more controlled -- to see studies that prove what I'm seeing.

Is there anything you wish you would've learned in school about climate change?

I feel like I have a deficit of knowledge in terms of climate policy and I'm not sure what class that would've been taught in, but it feels like I don't know much about government involvement in climate change and I wish I knew more, especially now.

It also would've been interesting to see specific studies about changes that are happening as a result of climate change -- to see evidence.

Taking data to measure climate changes would be super interesting -- being able to see that yourself. And reading studies, but we don't really do that in science class. Yeah we didn't really talk about it that much. In classes that I feel like we would have, the subject wasn't really covered.

How do you wish school had prepared you for changes not just in the environment, but in society?

I feel like I don't have a good understanding of changes in the economy. I know that climate change is going to affect the economy drastically, but I don't know [how]. I'm not sure which class would've taught that, but it would've been interesting to learn about.

Do you have any anxiety about your future because of climate change?

Yeah definitely because I feel like already what's happening now is scary, and you can see things happening and places where I could possibly be living [there are] wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, etc.

And just extreme weather events all over. And that's now, so I'm definitely fearful about what could be going on in terms of climate change related natural disaster and extreme weather events, and I'm also fearful because I possibly want to live here, so I know that climate change could definitely affect the fishing industry negatively, so I feel like that could impact Sitka's economy drastically and change the town.

Fiona wants:

Data collection and examination

Science Fairs (Idea #1) would give students the opportunity to collect data to examine issues they choose. Allowing students to collect and make sense of data that directly affects their lives brings large-scale ideas like climate change closer and increases the level of interest.

Scientists in the School, RASOR, GLOBE, AK-CSI, ANSEP Summer Bridge, Wilderness Expeditions for Young Women, and JIRP (Programs #2, 3, 4 and Summer Opportunities #1, 2, 3, 4) all include opportunities for students to collect data, design their own projects, and/or examine data. This connects students with their surroundings and therefore the issue and effects of climate change, while also showing them why they are seeing changes around them.

Weather stations (Resource #1) could be used as a part of the GLOBE program to collect data as a part of science classes. This data can also be submitted to an international database to contribute to further understanding of climate change.

To learn about how climate change will affect the economy

Apprenticeships (Idea #2) would allow students to talk to adults who work in their field of interest about the problems they're facing now and predictions they have for the future of their field.

Legislative Internships and Crew Training (Summer Opportunities #5, 6) all connect students with professionals and allow them to do meaningful work in environments that welcome curiosity and questions about those fields and their futures.

Both of these observations that Fiona had about things she would have liked to experience and learn about at school could and should also be integrated into classes and lessons about climate change. Teachers should also be given the support and resources to integrate these elements into their classes, no matter the subject.