Last spring, I took my graduation pictures in a hazy smog. Dressed in a cap and gown and mask because we were told the wildfire smoke being carried from Canada was full of toxins. I’ve been thinking about this as graduations start again, and again we are seeing wildfire smoke impacting air quality, this time in the Midwest -- a direct consequence of climate change. 

I told this story to my, and the majority of Northwest Philly’s state legislator, Sen. Art Haywood on June 6th at PennEnvironment’s Virtual Citizen Lobby Day, where hundreds of Pennsylvanians had a chance to advocate for policies that help mitigate climate change. It’s clear we need to act now in order to reverse the effects of climate change and stop issues like air pollution and increased violent wildfires. 

Pennsylvania can do that by divesting from fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy. As well as support policies in place, like Gov. Shapiro’s PRESS legislation that commits to a 35% renewable Pennsylvania by 2035. Sen. Haywood is a climate champion and already supports climate action in Pennsylvania, so we were mostly there to thank him and his team for their work, as well as ask him to help advocate for important legislation in the state senate.

I want to thank Sen. Haywood for meeting with me and other concerned citizens and I hope we can all work together to stop climate change and make PA renewable. 

Teora Milson