Title
August’s Climate Story
Name
August Crane
Place
Framboise, Canada
How are you sensing climate change?
My family’s cabin on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia was always our sanctuary, and still is. Every summer, in late July, we flee the country and make the 18-hour drive up north. We look forward to the beautiful view of the lake from our house, the vibrant forest, and the beach. I have been coming to Nova Scotia every year of my life since I was born, so I was quick to notice gradual or sudden changes throughout the years. Since the US-Canada border was closed for two years due to COVID, I hadn’t made it up to our cabin in quite a while.
We were greeted with an overgrown driveway and backyard, but we were too excited to notice. The usual smell of tree sap filled the air. However, little did I know that so much had changed in two short years. The forest was no longer as loud; I used to be able to hear more birds chirping. Although some trees flourished, some did not make it and were rotted on the edge of the forest. This was just the start of changes I noticed, however. When we walked to the beach, I noticed that there was an increase in erosion on the cliff that we used to stand on, so much so that it would soon be unsafe to climb up to the top. This could have been caused by a lack of balance of rainfall, perhaps too much or too little. Finally, I noticed a decreased need for my sweaters that I used to wear religiously; the weather in Nova Scotia usually gets a bit chilly at night but I noticed it was becoming easier and easier to wear a short sleeve shirt.
How do these changes make you feel?
These changes, more than any others in my life, make me feel helpless and sad. This is a place I have been coming to my entire life, and seeing it slowly being stripped away by climate change is a tragic fact but one that I must face if I want to have any chance at preserving this land.
I also feel lots of shock when thinking about these changes. The area where my house is in Canada is extremely rural and I never truly considered that climate change is this far-reaching and relevant in my personal life. I always attributed coastal and urban areas as being the most affected, but after seeing these changes, I know that is not true. However, these changes make me motivated to learn more about personal climate change and to take action.
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