Changing Alaska

Denali, the Great One!
Picture credit: Nic McPhee from Morris, MN, USA

 

President Obama will be in Alaska today for an Arctic Global Climate Summit.

He is the first US President to visit the Arctic while still in office.

His primary objective is likely to shore up support for climate change programs.

But another more important reason is about a majestic mountain called McKinley.

Today it will officially become Denali and for many Alaskans, it is about time.

You see, the locals have already been calling it Denali since the 1970’s.

The bitter battle over this name change has been going on for many years, those who live in Ohio where President McKinley, for whom the mountain was originally named is from, do not want it changed, but the Alaskan Natives do and today, they will get their way!

Denali is the highest peak in the United States at just over 20,000 feet.

This name change is very personal for the thousands of Indigenous, or Native Alaskans, as it is their name for the mountain in their Native tongue and it means ” the Great One. “

A separate, but equally important ongoing issue here, is that many of the Indigenous or Native Alaskans in this area, are being forced out of their homes on Kivalina Island, due to recent climate change, namely glacial melting and rising seas.

These Native Alaskans have been desperately trying to save not only the land that they live on, but their Ancestral way of life as well.

Over the years, they have been severely impacted by the Global Warming that has decimated their hunting and fishing abilities.
It has also affected many wildlife species that have either completely disappeared, or been reduced beyond recovery and the situation is alarming to all.

Their culture is just about all that they have left right now and they are determined to protect it.

Global Warming, accompanied by the resultant glacial melting and rising seas, have caused them much pain and grief and given them much to fear for the future.

These people are not at all happy about the way that their Alaska is changing.

 

Places to learn more:

Denali – Wikipedia

Obama renames nation’s highest mountain

Sinking into the Sea

Global Warming

Impacts of global warming in Alaska

Meeting the Global Threat of Climate Change

Arctic Peoples and Ecosystems

Climate Impacts in Alaska

 

 

You Gotta Love Leo~

Leo at the premier of  Wolf of Wall Street  in London.
Picture credit: Wikipedia/Christopher William Adach
 
AN UPDATE 
**After seeing this film last night for the first, and last time, it is absolute that Leo gave a masterful Oscar worthy performance. However, the film was disgusting, filthy and sexist. It is basically pure porn and not anything that I would ever suffer through again, nor could ever recommend.**

We will be finally be able to see this multi talented man in the highly acclaimed, ” Wolf Of Wall Street.”

It was just recorded overnight and we will watch it for the first time tonight.

Leonardo DiCaprio has enjoyed a lengthy, impressive film career and when he comes to town, people always take notice.

As a long time admirer of his off-screen philanthropic work, it is so fitting to write this today to acknowledge what happened yesterday in New York.

Although most people, I suppose, think of Leo only as a movie star, like with so many others who perform on-screen, my respect for him, comes not for his acting, but for the admirable things he does away from Hollywood.

When he made his appearance yesterday at the UN Summit on Climate Change, Leo wasn’t just showing up to be admired, although he was given a most prestigious welcoming  by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,  naming him as the Messenger of Peace.

For this Hollywood legend, Climate Change and the disturbing state of the World’s Environmental Health are not only vital, they are something that he has cared deeply about for many years.

So often with those who are in the public eye and under the glare of the lights, it can sometimes be difficult to be taken seriously for those causes, or issues that are close to your heart.

Especially when you look like Leo!

This well known and much loved man, who came to this Summit, was only one of a very long list of VIP’s, Global leaders and others who came to speak about what so many believe, is the most important issue in our World right now, Climate Change.

What disturbs many of us the most, is that it has been five very long years since the last one and nothing was done at that one.

This very abused and tired planet, simply cannot wait another five years for us to wake up and stop our deadly bad behavior.

At any given moment, Mother Earth may just throw her hands up and say: ” You don’t show me any respect, so forget you, I’m outta here~”

Or she may allow us one more last gasp of a chance, thanks to some people like Leo.

You gotta love Leo~

 

Places to learn more:

Leonardo DiCaprio addresses world leaders at the UN: Climate change is real

Secretary-General designates Leonardo DiCaprio as UN Messenger of Peace

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Foundation Grants $3 Million to Ocean Conservation

Thousands rally for climate change action

Leonardo DiCaprio – Wikipedia

Leonardo DiCaprio Biography