As people born in the Generation Z era, we have been tasked with dealing with the previous generations' carefree lifestyle. The world has been in shambles, whether it's because of war, leftover debt, or global warming. We are anticipating the unavoidable nuclear war or epidemic that will end all life as we know it. Our most urgent worry, however, is global warming and its effect on arctic animals. Scientists from NASA believe that we have less than a decade to change global warming before it is irreversible. It is a race against time and our efforts to fix what we have done to the earth, and what previous generations have also done. In this time of crisis, we need to unite to prevent humankind's loss, and potentially the extinction of arctic animals.

Currently, the animals that are most at risk of extinction from global warming are those that live in the Arctic. The most vulnerable animal is the polar bear, as its habitat, source of food, and lifestyle revolve around the sea ice. In addition, a study done by NASA displays that arctic ice is shrinking at a rate of 12.6 percent per decade. The constant shrinking of arctic ice, causes the polar bear to have to fast for strenuous periods. Their primary food source is seals, which they hunt for on top of the ice. Although without any ice to hunt seals on, polar bears cannot obtain a reliable food source. Dr. Peter K. Molnar, a researcher at the University of Toronto Scarborough, states, "You need the sea ice to capture your food. There's not enough food on land to sustain a polar bear population." However, even if polar bears do manage to find an alternative food source instead of seals. It would have to be substantial enough to provide the necessary nutrients because polar bears burn about 12,325 calories per day, according to researchers from National Geographic. Excluding the fact that polar bears will burn more calories from swimming as global warming temperatures increase. In addition, polar bears will encounter rougher waters as the ice continues to melt, leaving them more vulnerable to drowning and more energetically stressed.

Even if all hope for halting global warming appears to be lost, one key solution remains. The solution is Daoism, founded by Laozi, who also famously wrote the Daodejing. If we were to apply the basic key principles of Daoism, it would allow us to understand and potentially stop global warming. The key principles of Daoism are balance and order, wu wei, and complete harmony. First, if our society gathers together as one, no longer focusing on the conflicts within each other but uniting to face the problem that will encompass them all, global warming, we will have created a stronger and more rooted society that is balanced and in order. A quote by Lao Tzu displays this: "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." "When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need." When we let go of our burdens, it allows us to accomplish any task with maximum efficiency while remaining focused on any problem thrown at us. Secondly, once our society is no longer focused on the conflicts within each other and only focused on global warming, we can integrate the principle of wu wei. Wu Wei occurs when nothing is left undone or unfinished. This allows us to be at peace while engaged in the hardest task and allows us to carry out hard tasks with maximum efficiency. This would allow us to be constantly engaged and focused on stopping global warming with maximum efficiency while also not letting the problem of global warming consume us. Finally, if we are in complete harmony with nature, we will understand how important it is for nature and animals to rely on us to keep them from becoming extinct as a result of global warming.