Lucy Wright, a seventeen-year-old from Wausau, has been cross-country skiing since ever she could walk. Her family has skied for generations, and carrying that tradition forward is central to her identity, her health, and her connection to community.
But climate change is rapidly eroding that way of life.
WARMING WINTERS, VANISHING SNOW
Lucy grew up skiing on the eighteen miles of trails at the Nine Mile County Forest Recreation Area, where she learned alongside family and friends.
But in recent years, warming winter temperatures and declining snowfall have made skiing there nearly impossible. The snowy trails that once anchored Lucy’s winters are now often bare.
As a competitive Nordic skier on a local club team, Lucy has felt these changes acutely. Her team is often forced to take long drives—up to two hours—to access just three miles of trails with artificial snow. Even then, the conditions are far from ideal. Practices increasingly rely on running and roller-skiing well into the winter months, replacing snow-based training with “dryland” workouts because there simply isn’t enough snow.
Races have become more dangerous, too. Many competitions now take place on thin strips of artificial snow that melt under the weight of hundreds of skiers, exposing rocks and dirt. These conditions create tripping hazards and pileups, turning what should be a fun and exciting event into an experience filled with stress and anxiety.
A COMMUNITY TRADITION AT RISK
Lucy has also raced for years at the American Birkebeiner, one of Wisconsin’s most iconic winter traditions. Since fifth grade, she has been part of this intergenerational Nordic ski community.
Yet in recent years, the Birkie has been forced to rely heavily on artificial snow and alter its course due to unseasonably warm weather—changes that diminish both the experience and the cultural significance of the event.
COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR A BETTER FUTURE
As much as she wanted to make a difference, Lucy understood that one person alone can’t solve a problem as big as climate change. Then she learned about a way to join with others to fight for a better future. Last summer, Lucy and 14 other Wisconsin youth filed a groundbreaking lawsuit challenging state laws that force regulators to ignore harmful greenhouse gas emissions. These courageous young people are represented by Midwest Environmental Advocates and our partners at Our Children’s Trust.
“The opportunity to make a bigger impact through the law was really exciting,” she says. “What inspired me to join the climate lawsuit was the fact that it wouldn’t be just me. I knew I would be with others, moving towards a better future together—and that MEA would be there to support us.”
Through this case, Lucy is standing up not only for herself, but for young people across Wisconsin whose futures are being altered by policies that threaten their health and wellbeing.
“I see the impact of climate change in my daily life and feel strongly about the need to take action, but it would be difficult for an individual teenager like me to make my voice heard,” says Lucy. “MEA is giving me and other young people a direct opportunity to make change.”
