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A Saskatchewan conversation about the environment needs to take the unique issues of our province into consideration. It may mean a different set of solutions than in other parts of the country.

“Adaptation is much more feasible in a city like Vancouver,” said Dave Sauchyn, director of the Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative at the U of R. “They don’t have to deal with snow; they don’t have to deal with freezing temperatures very often. They have a great rapid transit system.

“In rural Saskatchewan, there’s just so few options when it comes to not burning fossil fuels. You can’t produce food without burning fossil fuels. … And you can’t complain that people drive in rural Saskatchewan. What are they supposed to do, hitchhike? We got rid of the trains, and we got rid of the buses.”

This does not mean, however, that change is not clearly needed and that our residents can’t make lifestyle adjustments that will make a difference. When it comes to waste, the citizens of Saskatchewan produce substantially more than the national average of 688 kilograms per person, per year. That is a shocking amount of plastic and other materials heading to our landfills.

It is important to give the youth of the province a voice on this issue. It is their future that is being shaped by decisions we make now.

And many — contrary to the stereotypes — want to listen and show concern for people with different views.

We could all do with adopting the spirit of 18-year-old Alex Flett, who read this poem at the Nov. 29 climate strike in Regina.

“The truth is, my ears are open. I will listen to what others have to say, because if I lived their life, I would think the same way. Nobody alive chooses the decision that they think is incorrect, yet so many of us give the other side neglect.”