Amid talk surrounding national monuments in Utah and extractive industry’s role in reducing their protections, I am reminded that many decision-makers in the United States are far behind the times. While countries like Sweden commit to renewable energy and wholeheartedly acknowledge the part extractive industries play in a changing climate, the United States invites the same industries into our most sacred most beautiful destinations. We should embrace places like Browns Canyon and Canyon of the Ancients national monuments for their ecology and history, not the minerals beneath.
It’s high time we bag fossil fuels, not only for our climate, but also to ensure the places we love remain protected.
Emily Struzenberg
Denver
