CONTEST FINALIST
Matt Lazzarotto
from Kamloops, BC
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
I’m a dedicated creative solution finder, an experienced Professional Photographer and Graphic Designer from Surrey, British Columbia, I have a certificate of Digital Graphic Design from Vancouver Community College, and Business Planning at Langara College. I’ve worked on many creative visual communication projects and I specialize in creative solution finding and project management.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DID YOU USE TO TAKE THIS PHOTO?
Sony a6600 and Sony f2.8 16-55 G lens
What motivated you to participate in the competition?
The future of our planet depends on every one of our actions now. We are past the tipping point and it is truly upsetting to see the devastation that is happening before our very eyes. I hope to be part of something much bigger to help show the rest of us the true devastation of our actions.
Why did you choose this photo?
Impact. The image sends a clear message of the devastating effects of climate change. The warmer and more dry seasons causing summer droughts is a huge concern for Kamloops, as well as British Columbia’s grasslands and the surrounding dry forest. It’s been 17 years since the McLure Fire in July 2003, and you can still see the true devastation and impact it had on the area. It’s important for us because it ended up changing the ecosystem on a species by species level. The fire burned for 75 days, destroying 65,285 acres (26,420 ha) of forest and 81 structures (72 homes and 9 businesses). It cost $31.1 million CAD to extinguish and caused another $8.2 million CAD in property damage.
What does climate action look like in your community?
As I write this, from the Thompson Nicola region of British Columbia, you don’t have to drive 5 minutes to see that it is a very industrial area. You can see the hill and mountainsides that have been destroyed by wildfires that were fuelled by dead dried up cinder caused by warmer and drier seasons. We need the world’s industry to adjust and change their methods before it’s too late. Carbon taxing is not enough.
What message would you like to give world leaders ahead of the COP26 Climate Conference this year?
It’s not too late to try, if we don’t do all we can now then we will never know. You may not see instant impacts today, tomorrow, or in the next 10 years, but by the time our children are old enough, they might be able to thank the past generation for trying.