Urban Alaskans may well celebrate snow that melts and disappears faster in spring. On the other hand, warmer summers are dramatically facilitating spruce bark beetle infestations in Southcentral. Fire and falling trees can result.
Warmer winters may translate into fewer people freezing in winter sub-zero temperatures, but shoe grippers and spiked slip-ons have become more essential to staying upright on icy streets and parking lots each winter.
A State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin from January 2018 reported that by 2100 average temperatures could be up to 9 degrees warmer and we could see 20-30 percent more rain. Things are definitely changing; Alaska is pegged as the state reflecting climate change most rapidly.
Some impacts of climate change may be surprising, like a rise in allergens affecting our eyes and lungs, or the growing cost of maintaining streets and roads. Or, how about our aging Port of Alaska, with increasing glacial melt layering the Knik Arm with more and more sediment that needs more and more dredging?
What can a city do about it? Half the state’s population lives in Anchorage, so what we do matters, whether it is nothing or something. On May 21, the Anchorage Assembly passed a Climate Action Plan. What’s in it? How will it affect individual residents and local businesses? Does it have a price tag?
Things to think about. Bring your curiosity to the next Hometown Alaska when our guests will discuss the plan piece by piece, and answer your questions. Join us!
HOST: Kathleen McCoy
GUESTS:
- Shaina Kilcoyne, Energy and Sustainability Manager, Solid Waste Services, Municipality of Anchorage
- Catherine Kemp, Special Administrative Assistant, Mayor’s Office
LINKS:
- Municipality of Anchorage, Climate Action Plan (webpage; find the Climate Action Plan 100-page PDF here; find 12-pg PDF strategy document here)
- “Alaska’s Climate Frontier: Anchorage to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent,” Christian Science Monitor, June 3, 2019
- Climate Change in Alaska, Div. of Community & Regional Affairs website, with ongoing climate change coverage as it develops.
- EVENT: Climate Action Fair, June 19, 4:30-6:30 pm. Town Square Park, Facebook.
PARTICIPATE:
- Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2:00 – 3:00pm)
- Send e-mail to hometown@alaskapublic.org before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
- Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air
- LIVE: Monday, June 10, 2019 at 2:00 p.m
- REPEAT: Monday, June 10, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
