When I say that this year has been crazy, I’m totally aware that what I’ve said is the understatement of the century.
The western coast is still on fire, the last white rhino just died, it seems as if there is a hurricane every other week — sometimes multiple at the same time — the rainforests are getting destroyed, overfishing is drastically changing the oceans’ ecosystems and just about a million other things that just scream “we are killing our planet.” We need to do something right now because we do not have as long as we thought we did to fix this.
We have been talking about climate change for quite a while now, and despite the attention it gathers in the media, it is still an issue that is not being dealt with properly and realistically.
The U.S. often makes an attempt to be at the forefront of issues like this, with many groups speaking on the subject trying to influence not just American policy, but make a global impact, but it seems like the more you hear about progressive efforts to, for instance, save the rainforest or the coral reefs or the whales, or, at this point, humanity, the more it seems we are going backward instead.
Whilst our current President, Donald Trump, has been in office, our representatives have chosen to incentivize the economy over the environment by withdrawing from efforts to reduce humanity’s carbon footprint, like the Paris Accords. Lowering the carbon tax in order for large corporations to become more profitable by not having to abide by laws that make for reduced environmental impact from mass production is a travesty setting us back from creating a greener earth.
We are noticing an actual change to the world we live right now and it’s scary. Melting polar ice caps, causing sea levels to rise all over the globe, will inevitably destroy some major coastal cities and islands. We already have damaged the oceans’ ecosystems by overfishing, but I guess trash island (The giant accumulation of plastic called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch containing at least 79,000 tons discarded plastic, covering an area of about 617,800 square miles) can replace our beaches as the new popular tropical getaway.
High tide is not the only major result caused by human pollution. After years upon years of rising carbon emissions, the ozone layer of the atmosphere is depleting. Combine that with historic high temperatures and dry air and that results in, you guessed it, over four million acres of California burned, resulting in 26 deaths in 2020 so far, according to NPR.
It may seem like the end is already here, but no. This is a wake-up call. New technology is emerging every day that is more efficient than the last and can help us make sure the next generation of humanity has a planet to call home because I don’t think most of us can afford a trip on Space X’s rocket to Mars. Let’s take the time to do the little things that can help our planet like reducing waste, stepping away from non-biodegradables and making sure our government keeps their word when they say they are going to do something about it. Let’s try to save this world before it’s too late.
