Climate change
For all of August, Colorado has been on fire, with over 200,000 acres of forest burning statewide. This summer, Coloradans have experienced the apocalyptic future that is to come: the air thick with smoke, the sweeping views obstructed by haze, the oppressive heat that cracks the soil, the drought that stunts crops and kills trees. This is the climate crisis. We are living in it every day. It is inescapable.
Amidst this, I began my junior year, waking every day only to be reminded of the end of the world. When I consider the future, and all the future actions that will be dictated by the decisions made on
Nov. 3, I feel despair for what lies ahead. So much rests on who is chosen and on what decisions are made. It doesn’t help that within a decade, by 2030, the detrimental effects of the climate crisis will be irreversible, according to the United Nations.
In this upcoming 2020 election, you as a voter have the influence to shape climate change policies. This election will determine the point of no return. The only option is to choose a candidate who will fiercely fight to protect the Earth for all young people whose futures continue to be stolen. There is no time to sit questioning whether climate change is real or talking about what should be done. There is only time to take direct action: to reduce carbon emissions, to hold polluting corporations accountable, to pass a Green New Deal.
Although I feel apathetic, I also hold such hope: hope for electing representatives who actively fight the climate crisis, hope for mobilizing voters to act on behalf of the earth, hope in reversing climate change and preserving Colorado’s natural beauty. Although there is much at stake in November, there is also an opportunity to gain multitudes.
This is why, as a young person growing up in this dying world without an ability to vote, I ask you to vote in support of the Earth, in support of me, in support of future generations. You have the ability to use your vote to influence the climate crisis and choose candidates who put the earth over profit. You must take action. Now is the time. Now is your final chance.
, 16, Denver