Living in the Antelope Valley, you have probably experienced our near record-breaking summers well into the triple digits for several weeks. It isn’t just scorching weather, especially with the recent Hurricane Hillary causing severe damage to Baja and Southern California. However, we are not alone in these extreme temperatures and natural disasters.
This past summer, we saw temperatures surpassing 110 degrees for 31 continuous days in Arizona. Even traditionally cooler places like Bosnia, France, and Northern Italy hovered around the European continental record. As for natural disasters, Brazil, Nigeria, and Pakistan experienced record-breaking flooding, taking the lives of around 2600 people and destroying nearby ecosystems. In recent years, annual natural disasters throughout South Asia have also become more substantial. Overall, global warming constantly contributes to climate change and severe natural disasters yearly. Realistically, what could we change or contribute?
As high school students, climate change has been a loose term thrown around constantly throughout various media platforms. Most noteworthy was Greta Thunberg, who threw out ideas that seemed foreign and unnecessary for discussion. Even though we may have multiple opinions, it was always too abstract of an issue to be addressed by the general public. As a result, decision-making is often left to government agencies and hardcore environmental activists. But extreme climates have finally arrived at our doorsteps, and many of those in our generation are finally taking the initiative to try to solve the problem.
Just last month, a group of high school students in Montana were concerned enough about the future of their way of life and filed a lawsuit against the entire state for failing to address climate change. Astonishingly, the courts did not treat the case as a frivolous issue, and instead valued the students’ arguments allowing them to win out the case. Another demonstration of initiative was taken by a group of students at an Elite French University protesting against the building of an oil research center despite the proposed numerous economic incentives. The students made bold claims that the construction of the research center on campus would hinder the research for environmentally friendly solutions.
While these scenarios are undoubtedly remarkable in their own right, they reveal how much influence can be brought about if we work together. In fact, the future of our world depends on the activism of us, the younger generation, with fresh ideas and enthusiasm to bring about change. The world is begging for solutions to our ongoing problems and can no longer wait for later. What are you willing to do? Remember that your life may depend on the consequences of this solution.
