I moved to Durango 29 years ago to live with the man I had just married (the love of my life) and to begin a job in cardiology (that proved immensely rewarding) at Mercy Hospital. But I came also to enjoy the great outdoors and endless opportunities for recreation that have brought so many of us to Durango.
Durango remains in my mind the best place on Earth to live, but it has not been untouched by environmental problems that affect the rest of the planet. We know the devastation of wildfires and the damage of floods in the aftermath of wildfires. Both have become more common and severe with climate change.
Higher temperatures increase the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, particularly for those who like to exercise heavily even on very hot summer afternoons. Higher temperatures create higher ozone (the pollutant most often elevated in our area) that contributes to asthma exacerbations and increases risk for adverse cardiac events.
Public lands are where we like to camp, hike, bicycle and ski, but there are threats to their existence. For instance, the Bears Ears National Monument, initially established by President Obama in 2016, was reduced in size by 85% by President Donald Trump in 2017 before being restored to its previous extent by President Joe Biden in 2021.
It is important to vote in support of the candidates who will deliver policies to combat climate change and preserve our public lands. Join me in voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in November.
Eugenia Miller
Durango
