by Meisei Gonzalez
This summer has been incredibly hot, with record temperatures making it almost unbearable. On one of these scorching days, I decided to visit my parents out in Kearns. They've had their air conditioning working for a few years now, and as we all sat around the kitchen table, complaining about the heat, we couldn’t help but joke about how we didn’t have fully running AC when I was growing up. We laughed, saying we've gone weak, poking fun at how my mom would make pozole or caldo in the middle of the summer, making the house feel like a sauna.
A photo by Meisei Gonzalez capturing the view of the Great Salt Lake before a sunset.
Feeling a bit nostalgic, I decided to do something I hadn’t done in a long time: head to 7/11 for a slurpee and hang out by the lake. With my icy drink in hand and hot chips, I made my way to the Great Saltair. Despite her lack of shade and the occasional swarm of brine flies, the lake is still a great place to wind down after a hot day.
I found a spot by the shore, settled in with a good book, and let the cool lake breeze wash over me. Around me, families and tourists were enjoying the water and the stunning views. The sky was filled with beautiful colors—blues, pinks, and oranges;perfect reminders of why I love this place. Despite the heat and the challenges, Great Salt Lake remains a local escape.
An illustration by Meisei Gonzalez, "EnviroCowboy," showing a cowboy sitting near the shores of the Great Salt Lake, reading a book and sipping a slurpee.
This year, with temperatures rising all over the world, the effects of climate change are hard to ignore. In Utah, climate change has worsened our drought, directly affecting the Great Salt Lake—and just this month we learned how the exposed lakebed itself is responsible for increased carbon emissions. My visit made me think about how complex, global issues like climate change affect us tangibly and locally.
Watching the sunset over the lake, I felt a mix of awe and concern. Seeing the receding lakeshore and feeling the heat in my body, the beauty of Great Salt Lake is clear, but so is her fragility. It's a reminder that we need to take action to protect our environment, both globally and locally.
Meisei Gonzalez is an environmental justice advocate and co-host of Stay Salty: Lakefacing Stories. Known as the “EnviroCowboy,” Meisei works to highlight the intersections of environmental and social justice, dedicating himself to making a lasting impact in the fight for environmental equity.
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