What is Pollution and Climate Change?

Waking up, opening the window, and being greeted by the most beautiful element this world has ever seen, nature. The birds chirping in those grand trees and the wind blowing through the leaves. The greatest gift we have ever received is being on this angelic planet we all call home. Why is it that something so great is being mistreated? Why do we take advantage of the one who always gives the greatest gifts? 

We as people have taken the Earth for granted. We dispose of our litter on the floor and damage the ozone layer. The very thing that our planet has given us in order to protect us. Climate change is not a new concept; it has been known for ages and yet people choose to ignore it. 

We continue our damaging ways for our own benefit without thinking about the consequences. We may not see the problem now, but we will in the early future. When the weather is getting warmer, when the polar bears are no longer on this Earth, and when the blue skies have turned gray. 

These may sound confusing, most of us do not know what sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides are. That is okay. One thing that we all know of is improperly disposed of waste. This is one of if not the easiest pollutant that we can stop. This is also known as littering. It is as simple as that. Not walking to the trash can and not disposing of our trash properly. This may seem like such a small task, but the reality is that it is so impactful. Pollutants lead to climate change. We may not like to admit it, but we are digging ourselves a deeper hole

What exactly is climate change? According to NASA Science, climate change is defined as “a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, and global climate.” In simple terms, climate change is why the winter months are no longer winter and why the summer months are so unbearable. 

Why is this so bad? The great and powerful polar bears are struggling. Their homes are melting. They can no longer hunt the way that they used to. It is getting harder and harder for them to survive. When you picture a polar bear, you see a big, strong, and beautiful animal. However, that vision you have in mind is no longer. The polar bears are getting smaller. They are losing weight that is so heavily needed. 

Some people may not care because this does not affect them, but the truth is that this is a selfish way of thinking. To see life and to belittle it. We are causing this, their lives are in our hands. We should feel the guilt. Not only polar bears, but the out of this world life form, also known as the Great Barrier Reef, is changing. The “unusually warm sea temperatures have already caused serious and lasting damages to 16% or the world’s coral reefs,” says DCCEEW. “The Great Barrier Reef has experienced eight mass bleaching events since 1979, triggered by unusually high sea surface temperatures.” 

Pollution is causing the lives of so many life forms to be lost as well. Back in 2020, we were advocating to “save the turtles!” This was not a joke, not then and not now. We are not fully grasping just how damaging our actions are. We are causing our oceans to be filled with garbage. The animals are being killed by this. They are getting trapped in trash and ingesting these damaging materials. We, as a whole, need to make a change. 

However, we cannot start without knowing what it is and why it is happening. So, let’s ask some SBHS students and staff about pollution and climate change.

Q and A with students and staff:

We will be talking to Ariana Perez, a freshman, Maximilliano Ambrocio, a senior, and Matthew McDonough, a teacher at SBHS.

How do you feel about pollution and climate change?

Perez: I feel bad about it and for the people who have to spend time cleaning after others.

Ambrocio: It is bad because Antarctica is melting and the weather has been really weird.

McDonough: I think that it is a big problem that we have not done enough about. In my lifetime, we have started talking about it and now people don’t want to admit it. And now it is a bigger problem for your generation than mine.

What do you do to protect the environment?

Perez: I throw away my trash, I am clean, and I help other people clean trash sometimes.

Ambrocio: I recycle, pick up trash, and clean trash that is in the oceans.

McDonough: I try to recycle and be environmentally conscious with things like water usage and electricity. My house actually has solar. I’m sure we can all do better at least a little bit.

Do you feel that the school enforces pollution prevention?

Perez: Sometimes, I guess. Not all the time, but most times.

Ambrocio: No, the school is very dirty and not a lot of people are actually picking up trash.

McDonough: Enforces, no, is there something, yes, but I think that we can do more. I know there is a focused recycling program but it can be hit or miss. I think there can be more, but there are definitely elements of it.

What do you think is most at risk with climate change?

Ambrocio: The animals and out oxygen levels. As well as the atmosphere.

McDonough: Weather patterns, like hurricanes are getting worse, we are getting more tornadoes where places shouldn’t have tornadoes.  As someone who lives in California, rising sea levels matter a lot too. 

How would you advise or warn people about climate change and pollution?

Ambrocio: I would tell people to pick up trash, recycle, use bikes, and just don’t be dirty.

McDonough: Warn people, I think it is a well known and politicised idea that it is now a matter of whether people want to believe it or not. How can you convince people other than them to see it and accept it now? It’s been in the news now for a while so it’s really whether or not people want to believe it.

Do you think that this is a government issue?

Ambrocio: Yes, because they are not enforcing it or doing anything about it. They are not advocating for the environment.

McDonough: It is definitely a government issue. I think if you look statistically speaking, the idea that as much as we can do, the five or six biggest corporations in the world are pulling as much as entire countries of people. So, as much as we can do, it is not going to make a dent  if the government does not promote pollution prevention.

Comments: It is so great to see how passionate people are about this topic. Matthew McDonough brings up an amazing point that it is a government issue. No matter who is in charge, this has been an issue for quite some time now and nothing is being done. However, we can still do our part.

How to Help: Sustainability is a big way to help. The United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as, “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The goals of sustainability are economic, environmental, social, and climate. We do not want to help the Earth in a way that is also damaging in its own way. There are so many ways to be sustainable. These include:

Conclusion: We as people should do our part because our future is changing. We will be seeing the impacts throughout our entire life. We cannot ignore this problem like it is nothing or that it is unimportant. We need to act now. It is simple. There are so many ways that you can help and it will not only benefit us physically, but mentally as well. Do good, feel good. We can be happier people knowing that we are being kind to the Earth and being mindful of our actions.