Changing Tides

A normal start of the day, for most High schoolers, usually consists of riding a bus or taking a car to school which may be in question for many after today's activities. Instead of going to class, all students took part in an international push for climate change. Activities and workshops focused on how the climate is changing and how this generation can restore a balance.

One workshop in particular focused on biodiversity in the ocean and how little things can lead to big problems.

Single use plastics, fishing nets, and coal fired power plants seemed to be the primary culprits for crippling the ocean’s ecosystems. Plastics are responsible for killing many ocean dwelling creatures and covering large areas with garbage, as seen in the mid Ppacific. Coal fired power plants have been dumping a seemingly endless supply of carbon into the atmosphere which is absorbed by the ocean and other various regions. This doesn’t sound catastrophic at first glance but this slow process threatens to undermine many ecosystems. This absorptions leads to the acidification of our oceans, slowly bleaching and killing coral reefs. The great barrier reef and many others are in danger and may soon not exist at all.

One creature or organism dying will kill another and then another. This turns into a vicious downward spiral eventually threatening us. This doesn’t need to happen however. Many know the gravity of this situation and demand a change. The ways in which we educate our youth plays a key role in restoring the earth.

Students debated and discussed what the future could hold, how exactly we should battle this problem, and how we can do more with less. Many students suggested clean energy, recycling, and clean up teams to restore our oceans.

So the next time you got to throw away a water bottle or leave a room take those extra steps and take care of our planet.