New Mexico
‘Loving our changing homelands’ how NM can move toward a respectful future with the environment • Source New Mexico
No matter where you live, climate change should be on your mind.
New Mexico is warming and it is drying. Our forests are changing, and our rivers and aquifers are dwindling, even as we demand more from them all the time.
Climate change touches every aspect of all our lives, whether you’re a farmer in the Lower Rio Grande or you own a mountain home and fear losing homeowners insurance. Fire season is longer and frankly, terrifying — especially when accompanied by post-fire flooding. Warming affects public health, whether fueling the pernicious spread of Valley Fever or making people who take certain medications more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. And the more-than-human species we share this state with are suffering, too.
So, yes, if you’re paying attention to climate change, you’re probably feeling some existential dread. Our new show, “Loving Our Changing Homelands,” highlights some of those challenges. But, I’m not asking you to lie in bed at night and worry. Nor do I want you to give in to despair or apathy.
In fact, when it comes to climate change, habitat loss, and environmental challenges, there remains good work to do on every scale, from your yard to the planet.
Policy changes and politics are important, for example, and it’s critical to elect officials who acknowledge — and understand — human-caused climate change, and then to hold them accountable every day they are in office. Greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced and where possible, eliminated, across industries. Certainly, new technologies can help us be more water- and energy-efficient. And there are easy ways for us each to make do with less. Less water, less electricity, less demand for consumer goods strewn about in our throw-away culture.
But most of all, living in a climate changed world means that we need to remember, or decide upon, what we value, and what we love.
We can all love this place, New Mexico, that is our home, whether we’ve lived here since time immemorial, for eight generations, or just moved here recently. In loving our changing homelands, we can exhibit respect and reciprocity. And, we can come together in community, in all of our diverse ways, to adapt to a warming world.
Years ago, the writer Barry Lopez was in Albuquerque on a book tour. As a journalist, as a mother, and as a New Mexican, I always think of something he said. He said that it is okay to be in love with the world and to articulate that.
And so, at Our Land, with this special, we articulate our love of the world. A world that I know we can adapt to, equitably, sustainably, and joyfully.
Please join me in the coming days as I share with you some of what I’ve learned from our guests on this special show, including hydrologist Phoebe Suina from the Pueblo of Cochiti; Paula Garcia, executive director of the New Mexico Acequia Association; Theresa Pasqual, director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office at the Pueblo of Acoma; Sister Joan Brown, executive director of New Mexico & El Paso Interfaith Power and Light; and Aaron Lowden, Indigenous Seed Keepers Network Program Coordinator and a farmer at the Pueblo of Acoma.
A longtime reporter, Laura Paskus is senior producer for “Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present, and Future” on NMPBS. Learn more and watch at: newmexicopbs.org/productions/newmexicoinfocus/our-land/ and youtube.com/c/OurLandNM/videos
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Early voting for the 2026 New Mexico Primary Election begins Tuesday, May 5.
Residents can vote at county clerks’ offices until May 16, at which point more early voting locations open.
The Primary Election is on June 2.
Key races in New Mexico Primary Election?
Several state races have a crowded primary field including Democrat candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, governor and the state Legislature. Local races in Doña Ana and Otero County for sheriff and the Board of County Commissioners.
Who can vote in New Mexico Primary Election?
New Mexico has semi-open primary elections, which means voters who are not registered with a qualified political party may participate in the election by selecting which major party’s ballot they want to vote on without changing their voter registration.
Voters who have not registered with a qualified party can participate by selecting a major party’s ballot and vote.
Registration status, voting locations and sample ballots can be viewed at the New Mexico Secretary of State website.
Where to vote in Doña Ana County
Early voting at the Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 N Motel Blvd., Las Cruces, will begin from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Friday on May 5 until May 29, and from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 30.
Alternate site early voting locations will begin at 11 a.m. on May 16 and run through May 30 from Tuesday through Saturday.
The alternate site locations in Doña Ana County are:• Anthony Library (750 Landers Road, Anthony)• HVPS Student Services (350 Main Street, Hatch)• Doña Ana County Community College (755 Prescott Anthony Drive, Chapparal)• Doña Ana County Community College (800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd., Las Cruces)• Doña Ana County Community College (3365 McNutt Road, Sunland Park)• Las Cruces City Hall (700 N. Main Street, Las Cruces)• Mesilla Town Hall (2231 Avenida de Mesilla, Mesilla)• Corbett Center Student Union (1600 International Mall, Las Cruces)
Same day registration will be available at the Doña Ana County Government Center during early voting and all absentee ballots may be returned to the County Clerk’s Office or any Election Day polling location no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Where to vote in Otero County
Early voting at the Otero County Clerk’s sub-office, 1101 New York Avenue, Room 101, will begin from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m., Monday through Friday on May 5 until May 29, and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 30.
Alternate site early voting locations will be staggered beginning on May 16 at 11 a.m. and run through May 30.
The alternate site locations in Otero County are:10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 16 through May 30Otero County Fairgrounds (401 Fairgrounds Road, Alamogordo)
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., May 27 through May 29Inn of The Mountain Gods (287 Carrizo Canyon Road, Mescalero)
8:00 am to 5:00 p.m., May 28 through May 30 Chaparral Far South Fire Station (827 Luna Street, Chaparral)
Josh’s Monday Night Forecast
Cloudier skies have moved into New Mexico today along with warmer temperatures. A few spotty to isolated showers have also developed this afternoon across western parts of New Mexico. Overnight, upper level moisture will increase across the region. This will bring more scattered to widespread shower and storm chances starting Tuesday.
Showers, storms and high elevation snowfall will move throughout much of the region with southeast New Mexico remaining quiet through Wednesday. Drier air moves in statewide by Thursday. This will bring fewer rain chances through the end of the week along with warming temperatures into the weekend.
-
New Hampshire4 minutes agoVail Resorts drops sales tax on ski passes at NH mountains
-
New Jersey10 minutes ago80-year-old crossing guard killed after being hit by car while helping kids cross street in New Jersey – AOL
-
New Mexico16 minutes agoLawsuit over New Mexico prison suicide to be settled for $2.4 million
-
North Carolina22 minutes agoNC Senate advances property tax reappraisal moratorium
-
North Dakota28 minutes agoConnections Tourism: Projects in Wheatland, Mountain and Lakota win North Dakota tourism grants – KVRR Local News
-
Ohio34 minutes agoSherrod Brown wins Ohio Democratic Senate primary
-
Oklahoma40 minutes agoFederal marijuana changes could impact how Oklahoma dispensaries operate
-
Oregon46 minutes agoOregon spa advertised on escort website, offered commercial sex acts, police say