Climate change is falling down on us in some really large ways. Dry winters, even drier summers, terrible fire seasons and droughts cutting some crop yields in half. We’ve experienced all of this in Idaho in the past year, and it isn’t going to get much better in the next 30 years.
Climate change isn’t just large changes though. It could be that we’ve had more algal blooms in warmer rivers and lakes this year, or the wildflowers that were everywhere when we were children aren’t there anymore.
For those of us who have kids, they might never experience a snow day because there won’t be enough snow and they might see water as a more precious resource than we do now.
And these changes are just in Idaho. Think about all the massive and minute changes other parts of the world are going through too.
Like not being able to see the mountains just outside the city, or not being able to stand in the rain because it’s too acidic. Some people can’t go to the beach because it’s too dirty, or go up the mountains because there is too much snow melt to be safe.
Climate change is all around us, and it’s too far gone to stop it now. Who knows what we might see changing next?
What we do know, though, is whether we look at the solution as something each individual can do or something that needs to change systemically, we need to take action now.
As college students, we are in a unique position where we have more information at our disposal than we could ever find, throughjust using Google alone. We have vast networks of connections running through our communities, touching everyone together like roots.
We can connect with professors, other students, parents, others’ hometowns, guest speakers, professionals, friends and so many other types of people who are all so knowledgeable about a variety of topics. Many of them are knowledgeable about climate change, we just have to ask.
If they aren’t, spread the word. Tell them what you know and have a conversation about climate change, because so often we think climate change is the hot button topic no one wants to talk about.
Whether we want to talk about it or not doesn’t matter. We need to talk about it. This is our future, and it’s currently burning up with all the forests and melting away like the northern ice.
Have a chat with a friend over coffee about what can be done to be more eco-friendly. Volunteer with local conservation groups to keep Paradise Creek healthy. Invest in a reusable water bottle or straw if it makes things seem a little better. At least people might see it and think “Oh, I think that’s cool, I might like one too.”
The Sustainability Center on campus has ample opportunity to volunteer in your community to help make it more sustainable. The Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute is a good way to expand horizons beyond Moscow to the entire Palouse.
If climate change is too big to do anything about by ourselves, start voting for representatives who care about it as much as we do. State and city elections are happening this year, and there’s some fierce competition between people who value our climate and people who value political power more.
Pay attention to who’s name is next to the dot being filled in on your ballot, because that vote could mean the difference between the beginning of change and none at all. Voting for representatives who care about Earth’s future, whether they’ll be here to see it or not, is the first step toward systemic change.
Talk about climate change with friends, family and acquaintances. Help fight climate change by volunteering to help keep local areas healthy or being more eco-conscious. Vote for representatives who care about climate change and have plans to take action.
- Editorial Board