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Ever the Renaissance man, Mayor David Coss talks climate change on Friday at a special event at Desert Academy that includes a screening of the Oscar-nominated Chasing Ice. SFR caught up with the mayor and addressed the effects of climate change on the local level.
Santa Fe doesn't pop up in people's heads when they hear the term climate change. How do we experience that phenomenon here?
Here in Santa Fe the impacts of climate change are a visible reality. Extreme weather conditions such as droughts, wildfires, heat waves, early snowmelts and flooding have hurt not only our environment but also our economy. Last year, forest fires burning in Northern New Mexico were well removed from the City of Santa Fe, however, potential tourists and visitors were concerned about air quality and smoke that they made frequent calls questioning whether certain events, such as some of our popular markets, were going to be cancelled, and whether they should cancel their own vacation to the City Different.
What can attendees to the movie night expect?
I hope they learn more about climate change and meet some great young people who will be our future leaders.
What's the message you hope the audience takes away from Chasing Ice?
That climate change demands a response from responsible people. The effect of climate change cannot be ignored and we have a moral obligation to future generations to leave them a healthier planet, just like our parents and grandparents handed us a better planet. We need to be responsible stewards of the earth.
Santa Fe Reporter