Global warming, greenhouse gases, fossil fuels. These words are all associated with climate change. Climate change is an issue that not only affects American citizens, but affects the entire human race. That is why it’s time to put our differences aside and come together to help save our planet.

What many Americans don’t seem to acknowledge or understand, is that conserving our Earth is crucial for the future generations. A new report done by National Geographic, states that the rising temperatures and humidity caused by greenhouse gas emissions would expose hundreds of millions of people worldwide to lethal heat stress by 2060. For many years, humans have lived their life without thinking of future consequences. For many years, humans have eradicated forests, hunted animals to extinction, and polluted our oceans with trash. For many years, humans have thought that climate change is an issue for the next generation. While it's true now that it is our issue, that shouldn't have been the beliefs many of the older generation held.

In the recent years of his life, Donald Trump has rejected the scientific data done by NASA and has called climate change a hoax. He, like many other climate change deniers, seem to believe that if it was cold that day then climate change is not an issue. However, the definition of climate change is not what temperature it was today or yesterday, but it is a change due to a change in the average atmospheric temperatures. While the Earth’s climate has changed periodically since its creation, the last 1,300 years have greatly advanced the change because of the lack of care we hold for the planet. NASA’s earth orbiting satellites have enabled scientists to collect more detailed information. As many of you know, the polar ice caps are melting because greenhouse gases trap heat radiating from Earth toward space because certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. NASA has already predicted a snowball of catastrophic events due to the increasing temperatures. More intense hurricanes, unstoppable wildfires, long periods of drought followed by massive floods, and the extinction of several animal species are all caused by the severe climate imbalance.

While climate change is inevitable, we can all still make a difference. The choices we make in our day to day add up and would help in reducing the carbon footprint. Doing minimal things like recycling, switching to renewable energy, and carpooling all help to reduce greenhouse emissions. It’s time to come together and forego fossil fuels, challenge large corporations, and protect the Environmental Protection Agency that Donald Trump's budget plans will cut. We have to stand up together because, this is our only Earth and we must protect her, so that our children can inherit the beauty we have grown up with and loved. Right now, we are the change. Everyone has the opportunity to make a real impact and make positive contributions to our world. Why not save it?