Transcript:
Professional ski mountaineer Caroline Gleich has long seen the impacts of climate change up close – from shrinking snowpack in the mountains of Utah to melting glaciers in the Himalayas.
And she’s concerned and frustrated that political leaders are not doing more to address the crisis.
Gleich: “Instead of sitting on the sidelines and being a critic … I was like, ‘I’m going to put my hat in the ring and I’m going to run.’”
Last year, Gleich ran as the Democratic candidate to represent Utah in the U.S. Senate. Climate change was central to her platform, so she says it provided an opportunity to help educate voters about the issue.
Gleich: “It was a really important opportunity to center a campaign around the topic and … to really bring it to the forefront of people’s minds.”
She was a long-shot candidate in the red state and lost the election. But she hopes her example helps inspire other people concerned about climate change to step up and get involved.
Gleich: “And whether you want to run to serve your neighborhood, your county, your city, or your state, there are so many different offices available to get into shaping public policy. … And I think it’s up to us to become the leaders that we want to see. … Our voices really matter and we have to keep showing up and speaking up.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
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