By Matthew Clarke
I am tired of fighting Utah.
Forgive me, fellow Californians. I have recently discovered some things about myself that lead me to conclude I am at least partly Utahn.
For the few years since I moved out of my parents' home I have valued symbols of my native California. Corn dogs, sourdough bread, seawater and sunshine all bring a special, appreciative gleam to my eye. Even bagged salads, which were originally thought up in Monterey, bring an occasional swelling of pride. I had been careful not to lose any of my distinctly Californian identity while here at school.
My splendid self-absorption was interrupted, however, when I learned not all Utahns appreciate their local environment.
As a northern Californian, I take on a little bit of the outdoorsy vibe that's not quite as prevalent in SoCal. I buy into the 'Keep Tahoe Blue' campaign. I eat dolphin-safe tuna. I even volunteered at the Sacramento Zoo as a teenager.
Imagine my displeasure to hear Utahns call Utah's lakes and streams 'dirty' and its landscape 'ugly.' I feel like a burdensome guest whose host is complaining of the stench and squalor of his own abode. When I ask about certain natural attractions and outdoor activities many Utahns reply disinterestedly that they've never been.
What is an honest-to-goodness granola-munching nature-lover to do for this rugged and underrated state? I have decided to adopt Utah as my own. No amount of jello salad or funeral potatoes could have won me over for Utah, but the state's environmental potential has.
As the environment writer for the newspaper, I have met a few good Utahns who understand and defend the natural environment.
If you have not noticed, Utah's natural resources are in trouble. Animals like the June sucker, the least chub and the columbian spotted frog have a dubious future which may end altogether in extinction. Some fish in Utah lake have become toxic from the pollutants there and West Nile virus is moving from mosquitoes to birds and humans.
Energy is an additional concern. Energy use is increasing by twice the state's growth rate and Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. has instituted awareness days and alert systems to show Utahns what may happen. Not only are Utah residents putting more pollutants in the air by demanding more power from the grid, they are also creating a risk of power outages.
There are so many programs, groups and activities to take part in. The June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program, the American Mosquito Control Association, the Utah Conservation Corps and many other organizations are deserving of a large and devoted membership.
So I probably don't look cool walking around campus with my $2 mosquito control awareness bracelet. But it is cool that I am informed. I know what made Utah Lake cloudy and what may clear it up. I know how to prevent West Nile virus and I know why the summer season is already setting temperature records. I know Utah's endangered species, why they're endangered and why they're important.
I don't want anyone chaining themselves to trees or starting newt rights campaigns, but I do want to turn complaints into concerns and concerns into actions. God made a beautiful planet for us to live on and brilliant minds to know how to tend it. Tomorrows become yesterdays. Species die out. And sometimes people are to blame.
Though many don't appreciate the title, I'm glad to declare myself a Utahn. I intend to earn it.
Copyright Brigham Young University 15 Jun 2006
