SmartSolar Sustainability Scholarship

As we live and breathe today, our planet stands slowly withering away. Big oil and production companies thrive economically at the expense of our future. While this truth is gradually causing our demise, we can change course. The beauty of our democracy is that we have a voice. The most impactful way to combat climate change is by making our voices heard by those in power. It was 2017, and the powers in Washington had just withdrawn from the Paris Agreement. We were no longer part of the collective nations that would promise to reduce our Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. As a South Floridian, I was outraged. GHG emissions are responsible for increasing our water temperatures. This has singlehandedly destroyed the Florida Keys' abundant coral reefs. Coral reefs are not only breathtaking, but they are home to millions, if not billions, of sea creatures. Coral reefs have the most abundant ecosystems, and because of climate change, only 1% of our beautiful coral reefs remain intact. If there was any time to fight against climate change, it was now. So I gathered my classmates and banded together to make our voices heard. First, we wrote letters to send to our congressional representatives and the Governor of Florida. We sat in a circle, expressing our emotions and providing compelling facts about climate change and the future of Florida's economy. Then, we labeled and sent our letters to our local representatives. A few months passed, and I had yet to hear a word. Then, just as I was about to lose hope, I received the first letter back from Congresswoman Lois Frankel. Ms. Frankel expressed her concern along with mine. She informed me of the legislation being put into place in the state of Florida to fight climate change. Lois Frankel sponsored H.Res.1145, which is a resolution put into place to recognize and accept the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in the special report on the impacts of global warming and express the sense that immediate action by Congress and the Administration is needed to reduce greenhouse gases. In her letter, she gave me other ideas to participate in democracy and make my voice heard on this issue, like rallying and speaking on social media. To know that our tiny voice could garner impact was the reassurance I needed to keep fighting against climate change. So, in addition to speaking to my local representatives, I started attending community rallies, minimized my personal waste consumption, and reduced my meat intake. I will continue to strive to fight climate change by making my voice heard and turning my words into action.