TO VOTE IN PERSON OR NOT!

I have thought voting is a special privilege that we have in America! Many countries do not have this privilege! This year because of the pandemic many people in America are voting by mail. It does not matter how you vote but your vote does matter! This year we have a lot at stake, the economy, unemployment, the pandemic, and many other reasons why your vote matters! I know my vote matters to me a lot it always did matter! Americans should be proud to vote especially seniors like I am. When I was twenty I could not wait until I was twenty-one to cast my vote for the presidency. And every time I do vote I want the little sticker that says I voted! I am proud of being an American citizen and a democratic way of life. The decision you make when you vote will impact the United States and the world. The world is watching who will be the next president of the United States.

ALASKA ENVIRONMENT CHANGE

I live in Alaska and I see first hand the environment is at stake! Alaska's glaciers are receding at a rate faster than the scientists thought! When I moved to Alaska in 1979 I could touch the ice in the lake at Portage Glacier! The Glacier was seen from the shoreline. But today you have to take a boat to see the Glacier because the glacier receded a lot! Today the lake is free from ice and the Glacier is still receding. Alaska weather has changed it is much warmer than years ago! In January it did get -30% below zero! Today it will get -10% below zero! Today the summers are hot and sunny instead of rainy! We have had more forest fires than years ago because the hot weather dries out the leaves on the forest floor! Alaska rain forests are suffering and this is because Alaska has gotten warmer.

The environment in all of the world is at stake! At the beginning of the pandemic, we were told to stay home cars were not driving making the atmosphere a lot healthier. If we drive only when necessary the atmosphere might heal itself more! Alaska has the least people in all America and many people live in rural places or Alaska calls it the Bush! Many people have to vote by mail rather than vote in person. I am voting in person because I only have a five-minute drive to the school! There is no need for me to vote by mail when I can drive a small distance to vote. I have done this in the years past and there is no need for me to vote differently. this year.

TONGASS NATIONAL RAINFOREST

I am writing this article to tell you about the Greenpeace agency. Greenpeace is a great agency and at this time President Trump wants to open up logging in the Tongass National Rainforest! If the Tongas National Rainforest is opened to logging it will do a lot of damage to the forest. The rainforest gives us air to breathe it should be kept a Natural Rainforest for that reason and many other reasons. I am also really sad about Alaska's weather changing in 2020. When I came to Alaska in 1979 the weather was a lot different. If we can repair the damage it would be great. But I do not see it happening in the near future! There would have to be many changes by everyone in the World. Alaska weather has changed dramatically and it is all due to Global Warming!

The town I live in Wasilla Alaska has changed a lot it is the fastest-growing community in the state of Alaska. With the growth comes more traffic and more cars driving. Many people have moved from Anchorage to the Matanuska Valley for one reason or another! The Mat Sue Valley is a one hour drive to Anchorage. People do a lot of commuting back and forth to work. I did the drive working on Fort Richardson Army Base for six years. Winter driving in Alaska can be very bad if you do not know how to drive in the ice and snow. Years ago we had a great amount of snow but today the yearly snowfall is far less. I look back forty years ago and I think wow what a difference.

The only thing that is not different in Alaska is the darkness in the winter months. And the sunshine until three in the morning in the summers. That is why Alaska is called the Land Of The Midnight Sun and the Last Frontier. I consider myself lucky living in a land of the free and the brave. I also consider myself lucky I am living in a state I love. I would not want to live anyplace else but Alaska.