Dear Future Me,

Dear Future Me,

Hi. Well, today is January 13 2021. There is no snow on the ground and it’s 45 degrees out and raining. I can’t help but worry that more and more of what used to be cold and snowy winter days that I have always spent skiing, (or daydreaming about skiing) will become like today. Coinciding with the mild winter, the world seems broken right now. 2020 brought us a global pandemic, exposed inequalities and injustices within our country, and the US has continued to ignore the need to take action on climate change. 

In our world, there will always be people who don’t care about anything except making more money. These folks have exploited and attempted to exploit some of our most pristine and beautiful places on Earth in the name of fossil fuel development. This has pushed us to the brink of tipping points in our climate system that are irreversible with continued inaction. But there are many more people that are using their voices to promote conservation and create change. These people have inspired me. I strive to become like them. 

When I think about life in 2050, I can imagine two futures. One is a world destroyed. This world has been overcome by disaster, resource scarcity, and war, brought on by our inability to change our ways. The other is a world different than today, a little warmer maybe, but this world is better. There is equality. There are plenty of resources for everyone to thrive. Developing nations have successfully switched to renewable resources and brought their people out of poverty. There is still skiing in winter months. There is hope. 

I promise you that I am going to dedicate my journey through life, wherever it takes me, to ensuring that we choose the second world. This is a future where you still ski, go backpacking through untouched wilderness, and share those experiences with your own family.

There is always good in this world and I have hope that we can still write a happy ending to our story.

Love, 

Your Younger (less wrinkly) self