Sadie grew up on the Bow River and enjoys spending time outdoors. When Sadie was young, her family was forced to evacuate their home during the 2013 Calgary floods. This was a traumatizing event, and was compounded when in 2022 there was another threatened evacuation due to another extreme precipitation event.  

Cycling and skiing is important to Sadie, particularly for her mental health. But the increasingly large wildfires, longer wildfire season, and reduced snowpack in Alberta have compromised Sadie’s ability to be active outside. 

Sadie’s growing concerns about the impacts of climate change, in her own life and globally, have brought her to attend school strikes and other protests, speak at Calgary city council on climate change, adopt a vegetarian diet and take other steps to reduce her personal carbon footprint. Sadie feels an immense sense of loss regarding the natural spaces that are being destroyed by the impacts of climate change. 

Sadie is studying Environmental Sciences at University, which continues to shape her perception and worry over climate change. She finds hope and balance in birding, finding dinosaur bones, sustainable gardening, and spending time with others who care about the climate.