Report: Climate Change Threatens Summer Recreation
By: Katherine Davis-Young, Public News Service – NV
CARSON CITY, Nev. – Summertime is synonymous with getting outside to have fun for many Americans, but a new report sheds light on how climate change is threatening beloved summer activities across the country.
The National Wildlife Federation’s “Safeguarding Summer” report, released today, shows that in addition to making summers hotter, climate change is causing an increase in tick-borne illnesses, eroding beaches and causing even more summer baseball game rain-outs.
Rebekah Stetson, Nevada grassroots climate-outreach consultant for the National Wildlife Federation, said the state relies on summer recreation as a major contributor to the economy. However, she added, popular Nevada recreation sites are threatened, too.
“Lake Tahoe is not just a treasure for Nevada, but a national treasure,” she said. “The clarity of the lake has changed and the lake has started to warm – and so, both of those things are definitely a cause of concern.”
The report notes that Lake Tahoe and Lake Mead both have had public-health advisories because of toxic algae blooms in recent years, which are caused by warmer climates and heavier precipitation. It says the only way to combat these kinds of threats to summer recreation is to work to slow climate change.
“We not just can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, but we have the means to actually use alternative energy sources,” said Doug Inkley, who retired as senior scientist for the National Wildlife Federation. “Now’s the time. The sooner we do it, the better. If we wait too long, it’s going to become much harder to do and the impacts of climate change are going to be much greater on all of us.”
The report calls for nationwide investment in clean energy and regulations to encourage fuel-efficient vehicles. However, it points out that the Trump administration has been rolling back many policies that were put in place to moderate climate change.
The report is online at nwf.org/summer.
