Human-caused climate change is here — we are living it. No longer is it something preventable. A global temperature increase is causing catastrophic weather conditions around the world such as flooding, freezing temperatures in southern states, droughts, storms, heatwaves, and forest fires. The last of which is happening right in our own backyards. If you didn’t think so before, it must be apparent now that we must all change our habits to help our future generations survive what will certainly be worse.
With the new school year upcoming, it’s time for schools to change the habits of parents, students, and staff. Schools need to better organize car pools and encourage modes of transportation that do not emit carbon emissions. It’s time to walk, bike or scooter especially if we live within a 10-20 minute walk away. Teachers must set examples. For these students, climate patterns will go far beyond drought, melting ice sheets and crop failures. Let’s break the habit of mindlessly hopping in our vehicles to get somewhere.
It is time to change our habits at the grocery store: taking multiple plastic bags for produce is not on any more. Younger people, carrying their mesh bags, quietly shake their heads at those of us who haven’t yet caught on. Perhaps the larger grocery stores could promote and sell locally made mesh bags and remove the plastic bags. The number of micro-plastics in our oceans may soon exceed the number of fish.
It’s time for us to take stock of our habits which have contributed to the current, dire situation. We can’t fix what is happening now but with a bit of resolve we can maybe, just maybe, give our younger generations a safe place to live.
Heather Jenkins
Nelson