The future for generations to come

Dear college students of the future,

Global warming is alive and well and if you do not act now, it will affect your children and your children’s children. “Eleven percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are caused by deforestation” (Organization). Nature is a good way to relieve stress and to get your minds off of things. Conserving this earth and making a much healthier place is much more than just making the world green. Making efforts to stop this huge problem can lead to thousands of jobs being created. The environment needs to be fixed and if we don’t act now our land could be submerged in the future, burned out, or even frozen.

Why do you think that someone tells you to go take a walk after a burst of outrage or when you are upset? Nature is a good way to blow off some steam and ease the mind. I have always loved nature and walking its trails and swimming in its streams of water, it is refreshing to know that we have natures sights and wonders to explore and enjoy. Take mountains for example, hiking up the trail of Kennesaw mountain and reaching the top to get a glimpse of Atlanta for the first time gave me a thrill. If you don’t believe me then go out for just a walk and see how amazing it is to be in nature and get a peaceful mind of thinking.

“… the proportion of Americans who think global warming is happening and who worry about it has increased sharply.” (Gustafson). In order to fight this problem and protect our earth, you must take action and speak up about global warming and its effects in the world. You need to convince not just Americans but the world too. Action has taken place with more than 100 countries signing the Paris Agreement in which it plans to prevent global warming. This is not enough though. You need to seek out those who don’t believe and make them believe to have a better future for their children. Plant a tree, recycle, drive less and walk more, use less hot water, turn off your electronics. Doing small may seem like you are not helping, but if we get everyone to do the small things then we can make a big impact.

You are fighting much more than just making a greener earth, you are fighting for a much healthier future for your kids and your grandkids. You get a chance to better the future for your kids and for them to know nothing but full bellies and clear skies. A small sacrifice that you make to better salvation in the years to come. Americans acknowledge that climate change is happening, but it is one thing to realize the problem than to act on the problem. Creating organizations to help climate change can create jobs as well and help the economy. Helping the economy and helping the word is one step closer into making a peaceful earth.

If we do not do anything now then we will be safe and we will die with no consequences for not acting, but the future generations are who suffers. Your kids suffer. If simply do nothing, then sea levels rise and by 2050 one billion people are affected (WorldLife). The artic will experience ice-free summers because of all the warming in the water. Heat waves will become more common and more severe effecting millions or maybe even billions of people in the world. Severe flooding will increase and be more frequent. Half of the Habitats of plants and animals will be gone. This is much more than just benefiting us, other wildlife will be in risk too if we do nothing.

You are part of the solution. You can make an impact on climate change by simply changing habitats around the household and changing your transportation. “The average US citizen emits 20 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year due primarily to these activities” (Wildlife). The way you control your home, what you eat, and how you choose to power things is the impact you can make. Solar panels are much more common now than what they were ten years ago. Changing to solar panels uses energy from the sun instead of burning fuel for energy. Using public transport or even commuting on bike for one or two days can make a difference. Lastly buy only what you need for food and do not waste it!

In conclusion, the world is a scary place and you may feel like you make no difference in the fight for climate change, but you do. Something as simple as recycling or changing you bulbs to a more energy saving one can have a good effect in the long run. We have to be in this together for it to change for the future of our kids and we have to make sure that we leave this earth knowing that we care for it and are grateful for all of its wonders and creations.

Sincerely, Edward Pena

Works Cited

Organization, Conservation. “Climate Change: 11 Facts You Need to Know.” Climate Change - 11 Facts You Need To Know, 2020, www.conservation.org/stories/11-climate-change-facts-you-need-to-know.

Gustafson, A., Bergquist, P., Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E. (2019). A growing majority of Americans think global warming is happening and are worried. Yale University and George Mason University. New Haven, CT: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

WorldLife. “Our Planet Is Warming. Here's What's at Stake If We Don't Act Now.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, 2019, www.worldwildlife.org/stories/our-planet-is-warming-here-s-what-s-at-stake-if-we-don-t-act-now.