Dear reader,
Climate change, while perhaps the biggest problem we’ve ever faced, often seems like something that happens far away or in the future. But we know it’s already happening. As you read this, wildfires threaten homes and agriculture in the American West, and rising sea levels fed by a melting Arctic creep incrementally closer to coastal communities. Still, it can be tempting to think that has little to do with us here at home in Western Pennsylvania.
But we are not insulated from the effects of climate change. Flooding, landslides and intense weather promise to threaten health, livelihoods and property. Everyone we know — our neighbors, children and loved ones — stands to be affected in some way. And those communities that are already struggling will be most vulnerable. Climate change affects just about every other issue, from economics to migration and even gun violence, which becomes more pronounced with each fraction of a degree that our Earth warms.
I report on climate change here in my hometown of Pittsburgh, a place where deeply rooted industrial legacies have historically dominated and where carbon-emitting fossil fuels have formed the bedrock of our regional economy for more than a century. Here, our response to the climate crisis could represent a path forward. If a city built on soot and steel can find a way forward, others surely can, too.
I write about how renewable energy could help us reduce our carbon footprint, how air pollution is affecting the health of people in historically disinvested communities and how future technologies may — or may not — play a role in solving our carbon woes. With each inquiry, my goal is to inform our readers about the challenges, realities and solutions that exist so that you can be better informed and make knowledgeable decisions about the issues that impact your future and that of generations to come.
As a Report for America corps member, I’m able to do this work in connection with other local environmental reporters across the country, all of whom are placed in communities where this type of journalism is badly needed. Report for America covers part of the cost of this work, but we count on readers to provide the rest. Every gift helps us produce critically needed stories that might not otherwise be told. Please support this important work by making a donation today.
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Sincerely,
Quinn Glabicki
Climate and environment reporter
PublicSource
P.S. If you know of something happening locally related to climate and the environment that you think is worth looking into, I’d love to hear from you. You can use our pitch/tip form here or reach out to me via email [email protected] or on Twitter at @quinnglabicki.
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