Our world is getting hotter. It’s undeniable now. Nasa says that we are 2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the average temperature in the late 19th century–an increase unprecedented in over a millenia–and human activity is the cause. Because of climate change, glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and weather events are becoming more extreme. We’ve seen it in our own state of California: years of drought, intense heat waves, a constant threat of wildfires and, most recently, historic flooding due to unusually heavy rainfall. This year President Biden issued a Presidential Emergency Declaration, which authorized federal assistance to support response efforts.
When my kids were little, we had a special May Day tradition of filling a paper cone with flowers from our garden, hanging the little baskets on neighbors’ doors, then quietly tiptoeing away, stifling giggles. The tradition says that if you get caught, you must give the recipient a kiss. We always made it away without kisses!
Some might even call them “SLOlebrities.” They are the people you see advocating for important issues on the news, the faces of the organizations they lead, and the folks you just always seem to run into at coffee shops downtown. We recently took some time to get to know these people who are working to create positive change in our town. Whether fighting climate change, caring for vulnerable animals, or creating a more inclusive business environment, we are inspired by these people who are passionate about acting out their values and making San Luis Obispo a better place.
