Written by Alyssa Solis, Staff Writer
While many people may think that there’s another 20 years to figure out a solution to climate change, many scientists, according to the BBC, are now coming to the agreement that we most likely only have 15 months left to come up with and implement a plan.
When William Krupecki, an Indian Trail High School & Academy physics teacher, told his class this, the room got quiet and soft whispers of “what?” could be heard echoing throughout the room. Many students then expressed their shock to Krupecki and wondered why no one was talking about this fact, let alone the Sept. 20 global climate change protest, in which the majority of our school population did not participate in.
Americans are very uninformed about what’s happening in the world.
“This information is not displayed to us enough, and when it is, it is often used as a political weapon,” Armando Sanchez, a General Studies senior, said.
Politics are very heated and often despised in American culture. It causes people to stop listening, and that’s not something that can be allowed to happen when it comes to this issue. Climate change due to human activity has been known since the Industrial Revolution, and it is no longer something that people can keep pushing off to the next generation.
However, many students reading this are wondering how a high school student could do anything to make an impact.
There is a plethora of ways that students can have a meaningful impact on our community in regards to climate change. It can be anywhere from simply changing some habits to joining clubs to protesting outside of town halls. While going completely waste-free can seem very out of your way, you can still change a lot of your habits that don’t even take a lot of effort.
First, don’t use single-use plastics. California has begun to phase out single-use plastics because it is significant to combating the waste crisis. Instead of buying plastic water bottles, invest in reusable water bottles. Don’t wrap your lunch in plastic, and be aware of other single-use plastics you may be using.
Secondly, a lesser known piece of advice is to not fall into the trap of buying cheap, fashionable clothing. Although fast fashion may cost less, the clothes will break easier, causing you to throw them away and buy more. Not only will this cost you more money, but it is very wasteful. Thirdly, you could get involved in your local community. Right here at Indian Trail we have a Teen
Green club that meets in environmental science teacher Megan Awe’s room, Room 1422, where club members seek to educate, en- gage, and take action on climate change in our school and commu- nity. You could also sign up for protests with Fridays For Future, as mentioned in a related Pulse article written by Lesli Garcia.