One day, I was watching the local news, and with each weather story, I knew it was time to prepare my family for the changing climate. The weather was getting progressively hotter, and diseases and viruses were spreading rampantly. This was making where I lived in Michigan a dangerously uncomfortable place to live. The amount of rain and storms, along with outdated sewage infrastructure, caused flooding that poisoned our drinking water. I realized my family was no longer safe.
I needed to prepare my family for the changing climate. I learned how to build a rain catcher for clean water and how to find a safe place during a flood crisis. I bought a generator and solar flashlights to prepare for power outages. Also, I made sure there was enough food and water to last us for over a month. I also stocked up on our medications. I felt more confident that my family would survive a climate disaster.
As the Earth continues to warm, sea levels rise. And with droughts and hurricanes becoming more frequent and intense, it is expected by 2050 around 100 million people in the US will be directly affected by climate change. These weather events, along with extreme heat, will cause millions of US residents to migrate away from the dangers of climate change.
Although I was preparing for the worst, I still worried about the future of my family. I knew moving would not be easy, but I decided to join families looking for a healthier place to live. There are many reasons a family relocates: affordability, school districts, job opportunities, housing … and families, like mine, are moving because of climate change.
With mounting climate fears, I moved my family to a place with stronger clean air standards and safer year-round temperatures. I looked for a new home that was close to nature and was comfortable year-round. I wanted to be proactive and not reactive. After all, if I didn’t do anything, my children would be the ones who would have to live with the consequences of growing up in a place where climate change might contribute to them becoming unhealthy.
I found the perfect place in a beach town with an urban flair. We now have a spacious community garden in our yard, and the city we live in is considered one of the top 10 walkable US cities.
We have a lot of work to do, but I’m glad I started acting now to make my family more climate resilient.
TELL CONGRESS: SUPPORT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND ACCESS TO CLIMATE EDUCATION