编者按：
今年开春，北卡凯瑞市（Cary）政府找到北卡华人联合会（CAFA），希望华联作为社区利益相关方参与市府正在推广的一项叫 Count me In, Cary!（算我一个，凯瑞！）的项目。华联青少年部推荐两名高中生去参加实习，他们是Katie Shen和Ethan Wang。
本文是他们撰写的Count me in, Cary!项目相关介绍，并呼吁华人参与问卷调查的“求援信”。
■作者：Katie Shen；Ethan Wang
随着三角高科技园区的不断壮大，如何保持持续繁荣和未来环境的可持续发展，现在比以往任何时候都更加重要。社区成员不仅需要追求经济增长，还需要追求可持续扩展。 “气候变化”，这是本世纪的热门词汇，笼罩着每个国家。但无论我们是否能够等待全球甚至国家的共识来应对这场存在危机，我们都能够在本地开始：确保我们的家园是一个持久的家园。
为了应对环境问题并代表亚裔美国青年，高中生Katie Shen和Ethan Wang正在发挥作用。
Katie正在担任Cary市的气候大使，并推广凯瑞的CountMeIn计划。该计划的长期目标是让凯瑞市建立和实施一个反映凯瑞不断增长的人口的需求和关切的气候行动策略。该计划的最重要阶段就是现在，因为凯瑞市正在要求居民填写调查问卷。调查主题包括水消耗、交通、废物、能源等。如果您有任何建议、意见或需要实施的政策，这些调查问卷就是表达的机会。在这些调查问卷向公众开放几个月后，作为城市的重要部分，亚裔美国人参与者寥寥无几。为了证明我们在这个社区中的参与和重要性，请抽出时间填写这些调查问卷！
Katie Shen在图书馆和美食节宣传Count me in, Cary！
Ethan是北卡数理高中的学生，对统计学和数据科学领域很感兴趣。他意识到创建调查问卷和传单的重要性，以便不同背景的人们对我们在社区中的工作产生兴趣。在参加了”Count me in, Cary!” 的会议后，Ethan了解到语言障碍和收集数据的重要性。他已经找到了一些方法，通过翻译传单并与凯瑞市的亚裔社区联系，介绍”Count me in Cary!” 的成员在社区中所做的工作。
我们已经通过更频繁的极端天气和因此产生的能源费用看到了气候变化和环境恶化的影响。气候变化不可能一夜之间或独自解决，这就是为什么从本地开始是产生全球影响的唯一方法。为了这个安全、多元和创新的社区的未来，开始思考作为这个世界的公民您可以做些什么。期待您抽出宝贵时间，为了自己的家园和后代的福祉，点开下面的链接填写调查问卷。
凯瑞市CountMeIn环境调查和资料链接：
https://cary-nc.civilspace.io/en/projects/count-me-in-cary
Katie Shen；Ethan Wang 撰写的原文：
As the Triangle community continues to grow, now is a more pertinent time than ever to take caution in ensuring a thriving and lasting environment for future generations. Community members need to strive for not only growth but sustainable expansion. “Climate change,” the buzzword of the century, looms over every nation. But whether or not we can afford to wait for global or even national consensus to combat this existential crisis, we can afford to start locally: to ensure our home is a lasting one.
Pitching in to combat environmental concerns and representing Asian American youths are high school students Katie Shen (’24) and Ethan Wang (’24).
Katie is working as a Climate Ambassador for the Town of Cary and promoting Cary’s CountMeIn program. The long-term goal for this program is for Cary to build and implement a climate action strategy that reflects the needs and concerns of Cary’s growing population. The most important phase of the program is right now, as the Town of Cary is asking residents to fill out surveys. The topics include water consumption, transportation, waste, energy, etc. If you have any suggestions, comments, or policies needing implementation, these surveys are the space to do so. After a few months of these surveys being open to the public, the important demographic the town is missing is Asian Americans. So, to prove our engagement and importance in this community, please take the time to fill in these surveys!
Ethan is a student at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and is interested in the fields of statistics and data science. He realizes the importance of creating surveys and flyers so that people of different backgrounds can find interest in what we are doing in the community. After attending “Count me in, Cary!” meetings, Ethan understands linguistic boundaries and the importance of gathering data. Ethan has garnered ways to include the Asian-American community by translating flyers and reaching out to Asian-American communities in Cary about what the members of “Count me in Cary!” are doing in the community.
We are already seeing the effects of climate change and environmental decay through more frequent extreme weather and, consequently, our energy bills. Climate change cannot be solved overnight or alone, which is why starting locally is the only way to have a global impact. For the future of this safe, diverse, and innovative community, start thinking about what you can do as a citizen of this world. Can we count you in and count on you?
Link to Cary’s CountMeIn Environmental surveys and factsheets:
https://cary-nc.civilspace.io/en/projects/count-me-in-cary
