I know as a nation we are all busy dealing with our everyday lives while also dealing with Trump, COVID-19, and many other disastrous things, but we need to stop for a second and look at global warming and climate change. It may be more destructive than COVID-19 ever was in the long run.

 Between the fires raging in California and early October’s Hurricane on the Golf, all of this has reminded me of global warming and climate change and we need to change the way we live, or we may not have a future. In the upcoming future, rising sea levels will cause more tragedy to occur through these hurricanes and wetland flooding. 

CNN reported on Sept. 30 “Greenland’s ice sheet — which contains enough water to raise global sea levels by 24 feet — is melting as fast as at any time in the last 12,000 years, a new study finds.”

 So that means we, not just Americans, we as in humanity need to pull it together and start adjusting the way we live if we want to have a world to live in. When we burn fossil fuels like oil to meet our needs we are literally destroying our atmosphere.

 Now, I know we need this in order to continue, but do we really need 9,000 independent factories producing the same stuff all for a different price? I realize closing these factories could lead to potential job loss, but there are many other areas of work they could take up if this was to happen. 

 One of the most simple ways to adjust is just to limit the usage of cars. I know walking can be a hassle sometimes, but anything helps to achieve this goal. Some may believe that our everyday cars don’t produce that much carbon dioxide, this statement is very wrong.

 The Union of Concerned Scientists (USCUSA) reported, “Our personal vehicles are a major cause of global warming. Collectively, cars and trucks account for nearly one-fifth of all US emissions, emitting around 24 pounds of carbon dioxide.” 

 So if you believe we aren’t contributing to the dismantling of our ozone layer, you are sadly mistaken. Not only are we destroying our own world, but we are also destroying the animals and their habitats as well. The koala bear, one of the most innocent and cutest animals of all time is close to becoming extinct due to our neglect.

 CBS reported,” According to the report, at least 5,000 koalas were lost in the bushfires, which killed an estimated more than 1 billion animals in Australia.”

 One billion animals are dead because we can’t take care of our climates and limit our usage of unnecessary things like coffee pods, plastic bags, and razors. Let’s start thinking about things besides our own lives.

 Now, I know some think Koala bears dying doesn’t matter and that they hold no real purpose in society but they are apart of the food chain, without them certain species who would usually be maintained and fed could go hungry and extinct. Like pythons, goannas dingoes and eagles all eat Koalas and need food. 

 Along with that 1 BILLION ANIMALS ARE DEAD, that is food for us, clothing material for some and they are living things we should care about their lives just as much as ours. You shouldn’t need a reason to want to protect and keep animals safe, they have a right to live just like you.

 I am selfish at times and I will admit that we all are human but we need to at least make some attempt at changing the way we live. If we take a step back and look at the history of the human race, we have done nothing but ruin a beautiful land. I don’t care if your butt hurt from what I am saying, you and I ruin this planet for our own selfish needs. 

 We think COVID-19 is a plague, no we are the plague and we have been infecting planet earth for decades and at this rate, the only cure for this infection is self-destruction.