Allyson Chan
During the last few months, as I received seemingly endless emails about downed trees and unreliable power on Aragon’s campus, the howling of wind and the constant pitter patter of rain became a familiar soundtrack of daily activities. Accompanied by the cacophony of heavy machinery removing unstable eucalyptus trees, life seemed dystopian at times.
This year, California residents have fallen victim to major changes such as these, with winds reaching 100 miles per hour and receiving 50 feet of snowfall with unexpectedly high amounts of precipitation, in contrast to California’s usually mild climate. While these climate extremes have wreaked havoc over many homes, they succeeded in filling California reservoirs to acceptable levels.
It is easy to put conservation on the backburner now that drought conditions have improved, but these climate extremes are only a sign that climate change is worsening. To combat this growing crisis, it is vital to keep the focus on making sustainable life choices.
According to the National Weather Service, between the months of October 2022 and March 2023, California received an average of 27.6 inches of precipitation, a shockingly large amount.
“Creating a change in one’s lifestyle may not seem like it will make a major difference, but the everyday decisions can have a significant impact”
Climate change is often mistaken for global warming, but it actually deals with a larger range of climate extremes. Differentiating the two is essential in recognizing the true extent of the damage. These changes are nonlinear, and often come or go, making it easy to overlook the long term impacts and trajectory of climate change during a season with calmer weather.
As legislation and large corporations are failing to do enough, it has become apparent that individual contributions and small actions toward sustainability are all the more vital in making a difference. President Joe Biden recently approved the Willow Project, an oil venture in Alaska, that more than 4 million people petitioned against. This project will produce 180,000 barrels of oil each day, releasing 9.2 million metric tons of carbon pollution into the atmosphere yearly. Along with the high carbon emissions and waste produced by corporations catering to wasteful consumerism and trying to make the most profit possible, it is easy to feel hopeless about climate change. However, there are countless ways to make greener choices.
Creating a change in one’s lifestyle may not seem like it will make a major difference, but the everyday decisions can have a significant impact. Reducing harmful consumerism such as shopping at local stores and buying local produce can help the environment. In addition, taking a careful look at all purchases and replacing fast-fashion and single-use products with eco-friendly ones is equally impactful. As more people begin to move away from harmful consumption habits, companies will be forced to give in to demands for more sustainable products. Each person who chooses to make a more sustainable choice is one of many, thus contributing to a larger impact.
“All meaningful changes begin somewhere, and it is crucial to not overlook the power of activism.”
Lifestyle changes cannot alone combat climate change, though, and corporation accountability is key. This accountability can be achieved through small and large-scale activism. Youth climate activism has been on the rise in the last few decades, and several organizations have proved that small actions add up to create large-scale change. The Youth Climate Movement hosted a strike to hold corporations accountable for their roles in the climate crises, and the student-led movement garnered the attention and involvement of almost 4 million people in a variety of ways including raising climate awareness, and encouraging the youth to vote for the sake of the future. A single student walking out of a classroom may not seem like a significant action, but when combined with millions of others, the impact is massive.
Activism is also highly achievable on a more personal level. This can mean petitioning local government for better climate change policies, organizing community events to promote sustainability or even getting a large group of people to participate in a local trash clean-up. In 2021, Aragon students advocated for the district to create a climate action plan on behalf of the San Mateo County Youth Commission. All meaningful changes begin somewhere, and it is crucial to not overlook the power of activism.
Living in California, we have witnessed firsthand the effects of climate change through months riddled with forest fires to seasons full of rain. As youth, we must take care of our planet since it is our entire future. It is never too late to make a difference, despite the never-ending list of negative climate news. Long-term sustainability and an outward focus on what we as individuals can do to inspire change is essential in ensuring we will have a planet healthy enough to sustain our future.
