Letter from the editor is a semi-weekly reflection on the week’s news written by members of The Front’s editorial staff. This column first appeared in the Nov. 20 edition of our email newsletter, which you can sign up for by clicking here.
Just as the COP26 ended in Glasgow last week, Whatcom County witnessed the floodgates of the climate crisis unleashed as an unprecedented storm hit our shores and swole our watersheds to breaking point.
Even though we pride ourselves in getting wet and shunning umbrellas in the Pacific Northwest, this storm proved that our communities will need to organize a resilient, sustainable future against the evermore intensifying threat of climate change.
In a visit to Whatcom County on Nov. 17, Governor Jay Inslee said “we have to realize that we are going to face decades of increased floods in our state of Washington; this is one flood of unfortunately many that we will be experiencing.”
Our community has known this for years, as part of the many leaders in the state and country to call for climate remediation. Keeping up with the implementation of local environmental efforts and climate action plans will be crucial for our ongoing public discourse.
The Front will continue covering these issues as we have since branching out from strictly Western news. Earlier this week, a story was published about the Port of Bellingham’s developments and environmental commitments following the Nov. 2 election. Measures like these are important parts of Bellingham’s economic rebound from the pandemic and its initiative for sustainability; they will remain an integral part of our coverage moving forward.
As we await another round of precipitation in the coming days, I would like to extend our gratitude to those who participated and volunteered in rescue operations and those who are raising funds and donations for our impacted neighbors.
The Whatcom Community Foundation has set up a Resiliency Fund reserved exclusively for local cleanups and financial aids, donations can be made here.
Whatcom County Library System has also created a database for relevant community services in this time of emergency.
~Clifford Heberden, Fall 2021 City News Editor
Satellite imagery of a ‘bomb cyclone’ staggering on the West Coast on Oct. 25. // Video by NOAA
Clifford Heberden (he/him) is the City News Editor for The Front. He’s a third year News/Ed major planning to minor in Philosophy. With his reporting, he’s mainly focused on local and state-wide environmental news and legislation but has also worked to report on social issues in Whatcom County. You can reach him at citynewseditor.thefront@gmail.com or chbrdn.thefront@gmail.com.
His Twitter handle is @cliffbutonline.
