When I'm not thinking about anything else, I am thinking about climate change. This seems to be true for many people in our generation, but we are the loud minority. Too many people in our generation just don’t seem to understand the severity of this crisis that has been handed down from generation to generation since the industrial revolution. 

         We cannot simply pass on the issue of solving climate change to the next generation, it will be too little, and too late. Climate scientists worldwide agree that if we do not curb climate change by 2035, millions of people will be affected, and it will be near impossible to stop the snowball effect from there. Climate change does not only have long-term effects, sea levels are rising, and storms are becoming more frequent and severe, and ecosystems that people depend on for food are changing unpredictably. This is already happening, and if we do not act quickly then more people will suffer.

         We cannot wait for everyone else to figure out a solution, most politicians don't want to put a stop to climate change because they get their promotion and endorsement from big businesses that benefit from destroying our atmosphere. It falls to our generation, because we do not have ties to these huge corporations, nor the greed for power and money that affects politicians and business owners. We need to address climate exchange because nobody else will.

        The older generations view us as lesser and believe that we have no place in politics and other topics that have been deemed “adult” by society. We need to prove them wrong. We need to take action on our own to end climate change because until Washington gets its act together, we ARE alone. 

       Youth activist Greta Thunberg is a great example of what it means to take action, she shows that the best way we can stop climate change is by putting pressure on our politicians to act for the people, not for their paycheck, and by making small everyday sacrifices, like using less electricity, eating less red meat, and using green methods of transportation. I have experienced firsthand what happens when teens like us try to get involved in politics, and most adults are certainly not appreciative. But we have no choice but to try, for if we do not, nobody will have the chance again. 

        We need to be strong enough to participate in these discussions, even when we are not wanted. When I tried to join in discussions about politics and climate change with my family, I was told in no uncertain terms that I should go and play with the other kids, and I did. That was a few years ago, and I now realize that I should have stood up to my family who tried to exclude me from discussions that concern me. We need to be a part of these discussions because nothing is changing, and nobody but us truly cares about change. Most adults are removed from the issue of climate change because its effects will not be seen on a large scale for years, but we need to stop it now because just reacting to climate change isn't enough.