Who cares about Alaska?

Everyone cares about Alaska!

First of all, Alaska is awesome. It's this enormous territory almost free of humans, except for a few cities and villages, and a lot of mining activity.

Okay second, it's cold. I am from a subtropical climate, and I adore the cold. It reminds me of leaving home, and getting away from the heat.

Third. It's mythical. Alaska man, you know? Actually, I have been there twice. It is quite a place.

Fourth. Have I already included mountains? Plus, its proximity to Asia. And the wildlife. Wildlife is a veritable fifth (actually first) but I'll let it slide. The wildlife in Alaska is absolutely awesome. There are foxes, moose, there are rivers, I bet they have beavers, wolves, bears, insects, permafrost... and the plants! Alaska is full of awesome plants. The ecosystem there tends to be boreal, I guess, and into tundra, which is a breathtaking landscape. It is important not to walk around on tundra too much because the plants there are very sensitive so it is best to form a line, or a path, and keep using the same one for centuries. There are also several groups of indigenous peoples in the region. These peoples have amazing art, histories, and understandings about the region, in some cases. There are also "Europeans" there, or "Euro-Americans." There are probably many different groups - maybe even black people - and one can probably go on the first Wikipedia page and it will give you all those statistics. In fact, "Alaska" is a topic I may read about this week.

Alaska also carries a unique global position at the top of the Pacific Ocean. To its south is Antarctica, the South Pacific, Easter Island, Poleynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Hawai'i; to its east, Canada; to its west, Russia; to its southeast, Japan, to the southwest, Cascadia; and further along, Australia, Chile, Mexico, the Koreas, Peru, New Zealand, coral reefs, volcanoes, the Submerged Continent of Zealandia (actually exists, Google it), whales, dolphins, and a huge plate - from the perspective of Alaska, the entire Pacific Ocean is a pond.

Alaska's strategic location is further strengthened by its relative obscurity. Nobody suspects Alaska. People who want to conquer the world routinely forget that Alaska exists. Russia didn't even want it. Alaska's reputation - or lack thereof - protects it from the huge crowds of people which have ravaged similar places, like Charleston.
 

Alaska also has very unique sports. One unique Alaskan sport is dogsled racing. Dogs generally enjoy running, and as long as all animals are treated with respect, dogsled racing is a fun and exciting pastime, as well as a great strategy for advanced mobility. Down in the "Lower 48," dogsleds have been retrofitted with bicycle tires, to create an obscure sport known as dryland dogsled racing (Attachment 1). The dogs in the photo look similar to pit bulls. Could you imagine riding around with a bunch of pit bulls? Nobody would fuck with you. You would be gooning.

 

Alaska also hosts the highest mountain in North America, Mount Denali. Named by an indigenous group, Denali is white and creates its own weather. There is a higher mountain in Argentina, which is the highest mountain in the Americas. Both mountains are part of a long mountain chain which more or less circumnavigates the Pacific Ocean. In North America it is the Rockies. It travels down through Central America, into Colombia where it becomes the Andes. Then it circles back up around through Antarctica, underneath the ocean as the South Pacific. Then it travels up China, Japan, maybe the Philippines, and back into Alaska through Kamchatka. Mountains are a lot of fun. Being from a flat place, I've come to really admire mountains. One day I want to climb mountains, especially forested ones. Down in the Andes, the mountains are forested on one side and dry on the other side (Attachment 2).

 

Alaska also, of course, plays a major role in climate change. Being at such a high latitude, Alaskans will be the among the first to see major fluctuations in weather.

 

Alaska is also a big deal in the mining industry, which ultimately creates major problems for everybody. Industries of all kinds are eyeing Alaska's fragile ecosystem and open plains, wanting a piece of that action. Alaskans are under increasing pressure to fight back against these interests with their false promises of long-term wealth. Hopefully the people of Alaska will be able to preserve much of its biodiversity and cleanliness into the post-industrial age.

 

Alaska also has great potential for permaculture. Sustainable horticulture and applied ecology have a lot of potential in Alaska's landscape. Alaska also provides great options for mobility across long distances, by land and by sea. Also, lots of people who live in Alaska don't even own cars. They just own small propeller airplanes to get to and from work. That sounds made-up, but it's true. Google it.

 

At Alaska's northern coast is the Arctic Ocean. This ocean is home to awesome dudes such as polar bears, walruses, and narwhals. Here you can see different animals who have traveled through Alaska at various times, back and forth from Asia to the Americas. And here you can read about the Great American Biological Interchange, which occurred when Central America formed and joined the two continents, opening fifty million years of isolated evolution in South America.to the world.

 

So that is a short list of people who care about Alaska.