Fighting for an environmental future is crucial

By Evan Balikos

Among the many debates dominating headlines, environmental issues continues to be one of the largest concerns. We tend to forget that we’re all still living one life, and we’re doing it haphazardly on Mother Earth.

During the Obama-era, climate change was a nearly inescapable topic. When the American public realized they had to change the way they lived to remain living, immediate actions were taken.  As a result, the Clean Power Plan was put into play.

There was a sense of reassurance that guided society towards being more eco-conservative when we realized our president cares as much we do. Studies suggest over half of Americans care about climate change, yet it is not as much of a pressing issue as it should be.    

On Apr. 2, 2018, the Trump administration confirmed that they will dismantle fuel economy rules that were set during the Obama-era. They will also consider revoking California’s right under this act to impose stricter standards than the federal government sets for vehicle emissions.

This will effectively wipe away any progress we have made at lowering our carbon footprint and decreasing the amount of greenhouse gas we produce.                                                           

Scott Pruitt, who oversees the Environmental Protection Agency, is an attorney general from Oklahoma that has sued the EPA 14 times in response to Obama’s Clean Power Plan. He is a blatant climate change denier and has deliberately taken money from fossil fuel companies while running in several political campaigns.

So why is he the person that we should allow to change our future? It’s not ludicrous to claim that based on his past actions Pruitt doesn’t want future generations to have a clean and healthy earth.

Studies show that, even with our past progress, conditions on the planet are getting worse. Sustained melting in Antarctica and Greenland now has the potential to doubly affect the total sea level rise projected, with studies suggesting that the current level will be 26 inches by the 2100; this will cause significant problems for coastal cities.

One story in particular that is garnering change is with China. The county has a huge focus on the coal industry, with 500 new coal plants being installed after the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in 2009. Many Americans are aware of how deeply Trump cares about revitalizing the coal industry in America, which has been in decline since 2009, but we have China to look at if we want a clear idea of how trapped in time we may become.

China’s coal industry is the largest in the world. It is also the leader of carbon emissions and can become so polluted that residents will be forced to wear gas masks to avoid suffocation.                                              

This concerning future already exists out in the east, and unfortunately for us Americans, we’re getting closer to that reality every day. Nonetheless, this is not a country-problem, it is a world problem. We must remember that we are responsible for the state of this planet, but also to remember how big of an influence of our president can be when approaching issues as large as climate change and environmental protection.

Protecting the earth is a big-picture issue. We can’t simply put multiple band-aids on it; we must take necessary actions to preserve the planet as much as we can. Luckily, significant advances have been made.

The price of solar panels has decreased, with most homeowners paying between $2.71 and $3.57 per watt to install them. Elon Musk and his Tesla Motors company have made significant strides in creating affordable electric cars for the world, pledging to produce 500,000 cars a year by 2020. And modern tech innovations like LED bulbs and energy-smart appliances have been on the market and used widely for years now.

However, this is not enough. If we want change for the environment, the head of the EPA needs to reflect that mindset. Education is key, and we must do more to raise awareness. This is no longer about politics; it’s now an issue we all have to face.

We want to remain living on safe ground. We want to avoid earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters. We want to live to raise families that will live to see the things that we saw. We want clean air, and clean water, and plenty of animals and varied ecosystems to be around in our future.

Above all, we want the planet to stay the same. Mother Earth can’t do this alone, let’s be kind and protect her. Let’s keep the picture intact.

Photo retrieved by Flickr.