Let’s start with facts.

The average surface temperature of the planet has risen 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit since the late nineteenth century. Though the number may not seem alarming, this incremental increase in temperature could mean extinction for half of all animal and plant species in some of the world’s most important natural places, including the Amazon rainforest.  

Five of the hottest years ever recorded have occurred since 2010.

Due to this global increase in heat, the once bountiful golden toad no longer explores Costa Rica. The polar bears have turned to scavenging for food on land because the ice is melting.

Glacier National Park of Montana was named 119 years ago for its 150 ice formations. Now just 30 glaciers remain, and all that have survived the melt have reduced in size by two-thirds or greater.

One final fact. Global warming is real.

Environmental change is not a hoax formulated by mysterious evil masterminds who would somehow benefit from the reduction of carbon use. Instead, environmental change and the fact that our planet is heating up is founded in numerous facts and indisputable research of countless credible sources including NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency and National Geographic.

It is nothing new for this data to be ignored. It’s natural for humans to push off more long-term tasks for what appears to be the more pressing day-to-day ones. This is no different in government. Building new roads and tax legislation seem important today, but they ignore the problems tomorrow will inevitably bring.

What is new, however, is that having concern for the increase in global temperature is now being labeled as controversial.  

It’s impossible for something to be controversial when there is no opposing side. The planet is heating up. We need to do something about it. Plain and simple. This isn’t liberal propaganda or a democrat political platform; it’s fact.

If we don’t take initiative and act immediately, the situation will only become more dire.

Older generations are to blame for senseless actions based in greed without any thought to environmental impacts. One could argue they didn’t know any better, as there wasn’t substantial information about how their practices were hurting the environment.

Now we have no excuse. We are more informed than ever; the information is blatant and screaming for attention. Based off of these staggering statistics, we are able to make educated decisions and live a more sustainable life.

Living a green life means more than just recycling. It’s recognizing your contribution to the amount of non-biodegradable waste being produced daily, it’s carbon offset, it’s taking the time to research and purchase green products and services.

Our children might only ever see pictures of polar bears. They will never be able to grasp the true size and beauty of a glacier. The once-abundant coral reefs and all of their wildlife will disappear to skeletons.

The only way to change our fate is to demand action. We have two choices: reverse global warming through aggressive legislation and cultural shifts, or sentence millions of animals and ultimately ourselves to burn to death in the name of political stubbornness.