In the past decade, the effects of global warming have gotten significantly worse. Earth’s average surface temperature is at an all-time high, and it’s continuing to increase at an unnatural rate. Some people even predict that human life will not be sustainable on earth by the year 2040. The negative effects are countless, and to think this is all caused by our own doings makes it worse. Our future generations will be left in ruins, unable to experience the once beautiful and lush place that we once grew up in. Global warming’s effects are much greater than just rising temperatures. It will also affect rain patterns, increases coastal erosion, melts glaciers/ ice caps, and much more. It also impacts our school life, increasing food shortages in our cafeterias and furthering chances of getting injured.

 The real question is, what can we do about this dire issue? Start simple, turn off lights in empty classrooms and unplug any unused chargers, use the bus more often, and most importantly, recycle. Most classrooms are equipped with a recycling bin, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to develop a habit of using it more often. It would also be a good idea to take notes on the computer instead of paper. We are one of very few schools provided with computers, so might as well utilize it. If you drive to school, don’t leave your car sitting idle, it’s a waste of money as well as polluting our environment. Instead of bringing plastic bottles to school everyday, it would be a better idea to bring a reusable bottle. They aren’t very expensive and a great use of your money.

By doing simple things like these, you are greatly impacting our community and environment and helping us reach a greater and eco-friendly future at Oakton.

Sources:

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/GlobalWarming

https://www.sustainlv.org/think-globally/global-warming-schools/