“I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” Dr. Seuss (1904- 1991) said this in an iconic book of his, The Lorax. Dr. Seuss was an author who reached out to kids, and even though the kids might not realize it, the message of climate change is communicated. If the next generation does not understand the importance of climate change, we will all perish. That is why it is so important to warn them. When I was seven or so, I was sitting in front of TV. 8:00, I was getting sleepy. Watching a news program, gradually drifting off to sleep. A new program had just turned on, but I was falling asleep. If I had got my Zs a minute earlier, it would have transformed who I am today. That short, climate change-directed program changed me forever.

When I realized this big blue marble might die, I was horrified. This gargantuan swath of dirt that has life in every corner, every crack. This home to all of us, here for billions of years. It kept me up for hours on end in the night. It was the only thing I ever thought about. I couldn’t focus on anything else. It haunted my mind. I thought it might haunt me forever. But then, one day, I realized something. We, as individuals, might not last very long. But we need to do everything we can to help the people of the future. This is the largest catastrophe humankind has ever faced. If we do not collaborate, we will go extinct.

Extinction. Imagine that. The earth, a barren ball of sand and dust. Not a hint of life. Everything dead, all because of us. If we do not start working now, the tipping point will be behind us. We will not be able to stop climate change if the tipping point passes. It is up to the children of today to be our leaders. If they are as unaware as the last generation, we will have no chance. But if we do work together, preventing the tipping point from nearing any more, we have a chance. We can stop climate change.

Now, you may think that we can’t live our lives without contributing to climate change. Plastic, more plastic, EVERYTHING IS MADE OF PLASTIC! We use it in our everyday lives. However, we won’t have our lives if the earth is destroyed.

Some people say, “What about Mars? Can’t we just move there?” Sure, except for one thing. If the earth succumbs to us, we have no way to get to Mars. So, can’t we just ban plastic? One thing is wrong with that. Big Co2 (Carbon Dioxide) emitting companies that want money. So, can’t the government get rid of those companies? The government supports those companies. Have you seen all the people affected by oil companies? The government allowed those companies to put destructive things in those places.

So, with all those plans out the window, what can we do? Many different plans will come into play stopping climate change, and all of us will take a part in the fight. All of us will hopefully come together and stand up for Earth. It might not even take that much energy. All we need is to stop being lazy and start now. I, personally, probably use too much plastic. I hear people that say that it’s addictive, helping the earth. Whatever you do, whether it’s being vegan or using reusable materials, it’s helping all of us.

Again, our Earth’s last stand, humankind’s finale, is closer than you think, and it’s only getting closer. It’s that deadline you feel you’re never going to meet, but you somehow find a way to meet it anyway. I’m not saying that Earth will die by then. I’m saying that we will need to have started by then.

To conclude, I’ve tried many times to imagine how our future looks. My guess, a few generations from now, Earth will be silent. No life, but an aura of peace, and ruins of our past. Humankind will be on some far-off exoplanet, deep in the vastness of outer space, realizing our past mistakes. And my hope is that that planet is not as unlucky as Earth. We will do for that planet what we could not do for Earth. And that is protecting our home. Our only home.

With a perspective, I’m Ari.