By AlaskaWatchman.com

Before a boxing match, the two fighters are weighed in to make sure the event is fair and safe for both parties. If only our fight with the EPA was this way.

Keep in mind that Interior Alaska is one of the coldest places on earth in the winter. 

Extreme temperatures are not always a bad thing if you enjoy crystalized trees and skiing on top of once flowing rivers. It also slows down the riff raff at times. 

But in order to exist here, we must take necessary precautions. Some of these survival measures have been successfully used for many generations.

Coal and wood are our best friends. There’s nothing like a negative-45-degree night with northern lights and a hot wood stove. 

Many of us also enjoy fresh eggs from our homegrown birds who eat a food source that we choose to feed them. Our tough and hardy chickens and ducks need a little heat, too, along with an insulated home and a thick layer of hay or straw. 

Traditional incandescent lightbulbs are the perfect solution as they provide the light needed to trigger the birds’ laying hormones, while also releasing heat to keep them warm on those cold winter nights. 

This lovely system came under attack a few years ago, thanks to a local mayor and noisy group of environmentalists who alerted the federal Environmental Protection Agency about our way of life. Since then, it’s been an uphill battle in the Fairbanks area.

A while back, I went to get some split wood at Northland Lumber in Fairbanks, only to find out that they weren’t “allowed” to sell split wood anymore unless they met some special qualification and dried it in a certain way. This was just the beginning of the EPA’s meddling.

Apparently interior residents are too ignorant to dry their own wood (according to the EPA). Somehow this unelected branch has taken the authority to dictate and threaten business owners when it comes to selling wood to local residents. 

I notified several government people about the situation and was quickly educated about the ongoing war against wood stove owners in Fairbanks. I was not aware of the extent to which Fairbanks residents have been harassed about burning wood in their own homes. The borough has offered deals about voluntarily switching out wood stoves, but it’s different when unelected federal bureaucrats begin micromanaging how private homeowners produce basic heat.

I figured I could get around all of this by finding wood from other places. Well, now EPA has hit my life too. I recently stopped by Ace Hardware in Fairbanks to get my GE incandescent bulbs for winter to keep my birds warm, only to discover the business they had to literally throw them away because of Biden’s new anti-incandescent light bulb policy. That’s right, as of Aug. 1, the president has forced companies all over the United States to destroy perfectly good lightbulbs! Thanks to the radical green movement, they will only permit us to use LED bulbs, which do not produce much heat.

Golden Valley Electric Association aims to cut ties with Healy 2, Alaska’s largest clean coal fired power plant.

If I owned Lowes or Ace Hardware, I would stand against this and fight it. What about GE? I haven’t interviewed them, but they can’t be happy. I wonder if they are pushing back.

Speaking of green movement dictates, I attended part of a meeting about our electric company, Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) and the Healy Coal Mine. GVEA is continuing its push to sever connections with the coal mine because of pressure from radical environmentalists. Here we go again. I have driven through Healy about a hundred times, and have never seen anything dirty there from the coal mine. Their river and their lake are beautiful, and the air is crystal clear.

The EPA and climate alarmists are overstepping. They have no business meddling with how interior Alaskans generate basic heat. They shouldn’t be interfering with homeowners, local elected governments or private businesses.

We need to dig in our heels, put on the proverbial boxing gloves and step into the public arena.

The views expressed here are those of the author.

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OPINION: Climate alarmists want total control on how Alaskans keep warm

Pamela Samash
Pamela Samash is a longtime Fairbanks area resident. She recently served on the Alaska Commission on Aging, and is past-president of Right To Life – Interior Alaska.


33 Comments

  • Neil says:

    Yes like everything else, might be a great idea in the lesser 48 but not worth a twit in Alaska. It’s time that our Governor steps up and says he’ll run our state and do his best to keep thing in hand or the feds will just run us over!

    • DaveMaxwell says:

      Sorry Neil Alaska’s governor stepping up and running our state is expecting too much from the daddy long legged weak kneed spineless part time conservative partial man that he is! He bows out to everyone who makes him uncomfortable or involved in a potential confrontation! Geisel, Bryant, Berkowitz, the feds( they threatened the knock kneed leggy one which is why his administration pays for breast mutilation of minors)!
      We Alaskans are very vulnerable under this governor! Maybe more influencer’s ought to be speaking out about this, like downing,MRA, and damboski ! We’re in trouble! Where’s the help?!

      • John H Slone says:

        When you’ve got a legislature that constantly resists the governors conservative agenda and philosophy regarding the pfd, a Supreme Court that will readily oppose the will of the people the Akand Federal constitution and legislate from the bench plus a federal beuracracy that asserts an unjustified authority over the state it’s pretty hard to come out looking like a hero. So how about placing some blame where it’s due instead of a scapegoat!!

      • DaveMaxwell says:

        John doesn’t dunleavy have a red pen? Is it out of ink? Your shallow efforts to support the weak kneed one is completely ludicrous !

      • Keith Rominske says:

        Couldn’t have said it better spot on.

  • Craig says:

    Yes, and part of this is that the bulb producing companies have helped lobby to get incandescent bulbs outlawed because they make more money selling the higher priced leds. It’s always about money

  • Proud Alaskan says:

    I agree right uppercut.
    Next they will hire a new czar in fairbanks to look for chimney smoke. Them they will send out their radical alarmist in their electric cars. Locked and loaded your not welcome on my property, now Please leave, have a nice day.
    Ps I love fresh eggs too.

  • Friend of Humanity says:

    Alaska would be an easy state to genocide all of the people by shutting off gas and electric in the middle of winter and geoengineer some horrific weather like extreme winds and cold snaps in the middle of winter. I hope that our governor is on the side of the humanity-loving people of Alaska because this situation is going to get ugly real fast if we do not have some people in higher levels pushing back against the agenda.

    • DaveMaxwell says:

      Do you know something I don’t about your governor? Biblically speaking you know them by their fruit! Thinking back about dunleavy will help you understand what you can expect from him in the future! Cut university funding only to give it back and increase it, anchorage ran into the ground, no response, stolen identities twice depart of elections, fires Donna Arduen because she’s fiscally smart, fires latest budget director! Appoints death culture zinc and lathers her with $ and compliments.! His promises about the pfd are now swapped for carbon credits. Question for Alaskans how are you going to spend your carbon credits!
      In summary take no confidence in this governor!

    • FreedomAK says:

      It’s be an easy place to genocide all the sheep who trust in nanny government to supply all their needs, fir the gas heater to run and the grocery store to be fully stocked and lights always on. The rest of us tellthe feds and most other government types to take a flying leap. We the People are not state property.

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      Watch this video compilation about Maui. Think about how many of Alaska’s towns/cities have one road in and one road out. Everyone better be geared up in the event we have some sort of “disaster” here. Be ready: have a grab box with any important papers, etc. and a grab bag with essentials such as water, snacks, money, batteries charger, extra clothes and so on. I do not trust the government that is trying to force all of us to comply with their b.s. They are not our government – they are an installed foreign enemy bent on taking us down. Do not comply!
      https://www.brighteon.com/d5df2800-794d-4712-9d25-c8eecb7fb72f

  • Steve P Peterson says:

    They can only get away with what people let them get away with. Too many people think all this madness will just go away if we wait it out, but that isn’t how the left works. Picture a boa constrictor ever tightening as its victim exhales and you see how the left achieves its goals. These people are not the liberals we once coexisted with; these are radical, tyrannical, angry people who, as the Bible says, cannot sleep unless they have destroyed other people.

  • Bryan says:

    Stop by! Tell me to put out my fire. I dare ya.

  • Kam says:

    Years ago we were told about the phase out of Incandescent bulbs -many gladly switched over then and threw out those bad boy incandescent bulbs. Others-who knew what they had bought extras and put them back-there might even be a few available today….we must learn from these continued attacks, and learn how to deal with disappearing favorites and necessities. Toilet paper comes to mind (we remember the ones who hoarded then tried to sell it later). History repeats and we learn with each new turn of this administrations brain.

  • George says:

    These are the same people that threw temper tantrums in kindergarten when they didn’t get their way. But now they are deep state government bureaucrats and politicians.

  • Appletree says:

    Amen! Thank you, Pamela, for a great article.

  • Sharon says:

    Round them up & make them spend the winter in Fairbanks see how long they last without coal & wood!!

  • Lucinda's says:

    Y’all believe anything.

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      I hope that you live in Fairbanks “Lucinda’s” so that after O’biden starts removing all of your ways to heat your home and keep your lights on, you can post back here and tell us how it is working out for you!

      • Lucinda says:

        Guess who is the best player on the team of evidence and reason? It’s you! Every time you post you reveal how weak, fearful, and uneducated the conservatives are.

      • Friend of Humanity says:

        You are an idiot Lucinda. Go chase a parked car.

  • Friend of Humanity says:

    Look what is happening to the Hawaiians! A group of unelected people under the “guidance” of the governor (who was probably placed, not elected) are deciding what is going to be the outcome for all of the surviving victims of the fires. Any concerns? I have some. We have unelected “metropolitan planners” that are looking at our areas. WHY would metropolitan planners be planning areas? Did we decide to remodel our towns here in Alaska? I did not get any chance to vote on remodeling our towns/areas.
    ‘Lahaina Maui Fires Proof of Lahaina Land Grab’ TheHealthyAmericanPeggyHall
    https://www.brighteon.com/fb91bed5-142b-41a3-b5fc-57b5f5c38c4c

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      “Researcher and activist Deborah Tavares returns to SGT Report to discuss Maui, the UN agenda to depopulate and enslave us with “smart cities”, which Deborah calls “death cities”, and UN agenda 2030 policies which will turn the people’s property into depopulated Hunger Games style UN zones.”
      https://www.sgtreport.com/

  • Shelia says:

    This is only the start. If Gavin Newsom gets in, the whole country, including, I am sorry to say, Alaska, will be Californiated. Gasoline-powered cars are being outlawed, also water heaters, fans, air conditioners, any natural gas-powered heaters and cook tops,and all of the other things that Herr Biden has already put on the chopping block. Basically, also any food that is good for us like meat, rice and now drinkers are to only to be allowed 2 beers per week. I am not kidding. The democrats are literally killing us! Maybe they work for the Davos Crowd, who want earth population dialed back to 1 billion.

  • Shelia says:

    Every time I mention the Davos Crowd I get a moderation tag. Interesting. Scared of the World Economic Forum?

  • DaveMaxwell says:

    Shelia I believe dunleavy including his brother Francis is part of the Davos crowd! That’s why dunleavy doesn’t fight for us!

    • Shelia says:

      If I say anything the least good about Dunleavy you say I am rushing to his defense. So, I will only ask for proof. As for the Bidens and Gavin Newsom, just look at how their policies align so well with the World Wide Economic Forum. Instead of fighting among ourselves, let’s unite against those we know for sure are against us, like the Biden Administration and all of those weird Biden appointments. We really need to work together. Time is short and we should get started.

      • DaveMaxwell says:

        Glad your interested in working together!!!
        If we are to make progress in this battle, it is imperative that we increase the expectations on our leaders! We cannot allow these leaders to continue to pretend to be conservatives! There are some things we can learn learn from some of president Trump’s statements. He declared that the liberal left is an easy enemy to identify, it’s the rinos that complicate the issues we’re facing! If you would rather have your examples from the Bible then answer this. What is Satans tactic when communicating with Adam and Eve? The answer is partially giving truth! Half truth represents the worst evil known to man! Revelation declares “I would rather have you hot or cold, warm will get spit out of my mouth!”
        Dunleavy is clearly playing in this half truth realm! Still don’t think so!? Why then does he use a 19 year old young lady to pretend he’s a conservative while his own administration pays for the mutilation practices she came to the state to try and inform us to stop!
        And Shelia take cover and protect your children because Covid is on the upswing and meds like ivermectin etc are restricted here but even with all the evidence of the danger of the shot dunleavy still promotes children to get it through his Department of health and human services! Dr Iona Farr has publicly declared “ stop getting the shot “!
        Let’s work together Shelia, our encroaching enemy is not Biden or Newsom, it’s much closer than that! A half truth governor is a very effective tool in the hands of the evil one!

  • Friend of Humanity says:

    Alaska, Hawaii and one other state (can’t remember the name) are the only states that do not have sheriffs. Alaska and Hawaii made a big mistake by not creating a sheriff’s office and hiring constitutional sheriffs to protect the people’s rights. The other state apparently did away with its sheriff’s department – I’d guess that infiltration was the instigator. Mat-Su Borough talked about creating a sheriff’s dept and were swayed away from the decision because funding it would be a hardship since Mat-Su is paying for police and state troopers. No offense to either of these departments, but they can be owned since they are run by the government and not the people. I hope that the Mat-Su Borough will start talks again about getting rid of the police and state troopers and create a strong Sheriff’s department that will protect the people of the Mat-Su Borough because they will be working for us and paid for by us.
    Dr. Lee Merritt and Sheriff Mack discuss the sheriff’s role and talk about the lawlessness in our country.
    https://www.brighteon.com/854da1f0-02b8-495a-b57a-557fa3bf2b41

    • DaveMaxwell says:

      Great thoughts Foh! I’ll bet Mary Fulp would wholeheartedly agree! As for dunleavy and his silence in regards to his administration’s actions against Mary Fulp, I’m disgusted with this pos and I predict a public shaming is coming!

    • Jim says:

      Agree, we need an elected sheriff down here in the KPB too.