By Darya and Beth
From the foothills of Almaty, Kazakhstan to the neighborhoods of Chicago, Illinois, a shared truth is becoming harder to ignore: the air we breathe is changing—and not for the better. The sky may still look blue on some days, but the reality beneath it is growing more dangerous. Whether it’s the smog settling over Kazakhstan’s largest city or the suffocating heat gripping America’s urban neighborhoods, the signs are all around us.
Climate change is no longer a distant threat. It’s personal. It’s visible. It’s in our lungs.
In this blog, we, Darya from Almaty and Beth from Chicago, share what we’re experiencing, what we’ve learned, and how we’re choosing to respond. Though we live thousands of miles apart, our cities are telling a similar story: one of rising heat, growing health risks, and a generation determined to act.
Darya
Why is it getting harder to breathe in Almaty?
My name is Darya. I live and study in Almaty, a city at the foot of the mountains. I’ve always thought of it as the most beautiful and lively place in Kazakhstan. But in recent years, things have changed. Winters have become not just cold, but stifling. In summer, instead of a mountain breeze, thick, heavy air sits on us from early morning. I often hear my friends say, “I have a headache,” “My throat feels scratchy,” or “I can’t breathe.” That’s when I first understood that climate isn’t something far away, it’s very personal. For me, it all started with the air.
How are climate change and air pollution connected in Almaty?
Summer in Almaty has changed, and almost everyone feels it. Those feelings are backed by facts. From 1976 to 2023, temperatures have risen by about 0.5 °C every ten years. The change is especially noticeable in summer. June has become nearly 2.8 °C warmer, and July has increased by more than 2.3 °C. In fact, 2023 was the hottest year ever recorded in Kazakhstan. In some regions, temperatures reached up to 46 °C. This isn’t just an inconvenience. In such weather, the air becomes stagnant, harmful substances linger longer, and health risks grow.
Sometimes it feels like the air just hangs there. In summer, it is hot, heavy, and filled with dust and smoke. In winter, it is cold and just as still. The mountains, usually visible from almost every street, seem to disappear. Scientists explain this through the phenomenon of temperature inversion. Warm air above traps polluted air near the ground, keeping everything emitted by cars, power plants, and stoves close to us.
I clearly remember the words of ecologist Pavel Plotitsyn: “If it rains or the wind blows, the air gets cleaned. But when it’s hot and dry, all the bad stuff stays with us.” That’s exactly how it feels. Sometimes, you just don’t want to go outside. You shut the windows and try to forget that your beloved city lies beyond the walls.
What’s most frightening is that days like this are becoming more frequent. Due to climate change, heatwaves, droughts, and still air are no longer rare. High temperatures trigger chemical reactions, producing even more toxic substances in the air, like ground-level ozone. You can’t see it or smell it, but it’s harmful.
Sometimes it truly feels like an invisible dome has settled over the city, and breathing under it is getting harder and harder.
What are people in my city saying about this?
When I started exploring why the air in Almaty is becoming more dangerous, I found numerous articles, interviews, and expert opinions. Some of them truly surprised me. I thought I knew enough, but each new view revealed that the issue runs much deeper than just dust and car exhaust.
One key voice is Professor Denis Vinnikov from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. He says, “Polluted air doesn’t just affect the lungs. It impacts the heart, blood vessels, and brain. It increases the risk of stroke and heart attack, worsens memory in children, and even affects mental health.” I had never realized that smog could be so harmful.
Environmental expert Pavel Plotitsyn explained that in the summer, when temperatures can reach nearly 50 °C, pollutants in the air become even more toxic due to chemical reactions triggered by sunlight. He said, “When it’s hot, and there’s not a drop of rain, all the pollution builds up. Without the climate factor, the air would clear faster.” That was the first time I clearly saw the connection between global warming and the air we breathe daily.
Aigerim Syzdykova from the AirVision Foundation shared a simple but powerful truth: “We all live in the same city and breathe the same air.” That’s absolutely correct. Smog doesn’t care where you live, what job you have, or how old you are. It poses a threat to everyone.
I also remember the words of Zhuldyz Saulebekova, an activist and director of the Almaty Air Initiative project. She believes real change is only possible when residents, scientists, and authorities collaborate. That idea resonates with me, because I, too, believe in the strength of community. That’s why I want to take action.
Why do I believe in action ?
Sometimes it feels like it’s all too much – too many problems, too little time. But doing nothing is also a choice. And I choose to act.
I don’t hope for magical solutions or wait for someone else to fix everything. I start with what I can do – in my city, in my school, with my own hands. Even if it’s a small step, it’s still a step forward.
It matters to me not just to know that the climate is changing, but to be part of the change. I may not be able to change the whole world, but I can definitely influence the people around me – a conversation, a thought, a spark of inspiration. And that’s already a beginning.
I believe we’re not alone. I believe in the power of youth – that we are brave, thoughtful, and real. And if even one person can make a difference, then all of us still have a chance to build a future we actually want to breathe in.
Beth
Urban Heat Islands: Chicago’s Hidden Climate Risk
My name is Beth and I am a student at Loyola University Chicago studying environmental studies. Going into my fourth year, I have been around for many different weather patterns and changes in Chicago. Chicago is heating up and not just in the summer. As climate change accelerates, the city is experiencing the urban heat island effect. The midwest’s concrete jungle with tall buildings, limited greenery, and many highways tend to trap heat. This leads to higher temperatures in neighborhoods with less greenery particularly in the West and South sides. Chicago could see up to 30 more days per year with temperatures above 100 degrees with continued high greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, some Chicago neighborhoods can be up to 7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than surrounding areas. Neighborhoods with fewer green spaces continue to bear the brunt of this threat. Local efforts and green roof initiatives are a step forward.
Excessive heat can lead to the increased risk of dehydration, respiratory issues, and disproportionately affects children and older adults. One of the most devastating examples of this was the 1995 Chicago heat wave, when over 700 people died within five days due to extreme heat and lack of cooling resources. This shows that with environmental challenges, public health can also be affected. Excessive heat can also impact schools, playgrounds and public spaces making it harder for people to enjoy being outside.
The city is making steps to help alleviate some of the impacts like green roof programs, tree planting, and community gardens. The city’s “Tree Equity” initiative focuses on planting trees in neighborhoods with the lowest canopy coverage.
Fighting the urban heat island effect isn’t just about trying to cool the city, it’s about climate justice. Every resident of Chicago deserves access to clean breathable air and safe livable neighborhoods. Addressing the urban heat means investing in equity. By planting more trees, expanding green spaces, and improving infrastructure can be protected and prioritized in climate solutions.
How do I plan to take action?
I take action by doing small things on a local level so I can inspire others to do the same. Even just a few small steps can have a big impact. No one will solve climate change alone. I choose my food wisely, I recycle, I donate my clothes, I take shorter showers, I reduce food waste by eating the things I buy instead of taking out. These are the small things that make my impact so much greater. When people see others making small changes, it can shift what feels normal and show that climate action isn’t hard, expensive or time consuming. It is possible in everyday life. Taking the small steps like Project Green Challenge can help get you and your community involved and lead by example, one step at a time.
Why do we believe in action ?
I believe that change starts in our local communities. By taking small steps to bring light to the situations that climate change has caused and how that is affecting our daily lives. Our communities are resilient, strong, and can make impacts but it starts with coming together. Again climate change cannot be solved in one day but by talking about these issues, we are one step closer to action.
All change begins with small steps. What surprised us most was how similar those steps can be, even when people live on opposite sides of the world. Without knowing each other at first, we were both thinking about the same things. We are planning to make flyers with eco-facts, use social media to share ideas, and start conversations in our schools and communities. One of us plans to start an eco-club, while the other focuses on simple daily actions like reducing waste, reusing clothes, and choosing food more mindfully.
Project Green Challenge brought us together. It showed us that students everywhere come up with the same kinds of ideas and that we aren’t alone in wanting to take action. PGC makes it easier to find people who care about the same issues and believe that even small, creative efforts can make a real difference when we share them and support each other.
Even though we live thousands of miles apart — one in Chicago, the other in Almaty — we found ourselves facing the same questions: Why is the air harder to breathe? Why are our summers hotter? What can we actually do about it?
Through Project Green Challenge, we realized that climate change connects us, but so can climate action. We’re choosing to act in ways that feel personal and powerful. Whether by reducing waste, rethinking our habits, or sparking conversations in our schools and communities. We believe small steps add up, and when shared, they can become something much bigger.
We may not fix everything overnight. But we’re not alone. And that gives us hope.
