I’ve never been one to be involved in politics, or even care to be involved. But being a senior in a civics class, it’s hard to avoid the topic, especially during the 2016 presidential election.
Everyone seems to be focused on issues like immigration reform, education policy, gun control, and health care. There is no doubt that these are important issues, but there are other issues to worry about.
For one, our environment is an issue that is completely overlooked. I’m not just talking about climate change either. I’m talking about energy, waste, water, food and land management. Yes, the other issues we face are important, but we should take our environment more seriously considering this is where we live. Put it this way, sure things don’t seem bad right now, but fast forward 15 to 20 years. Your children are the ones left with the mess you created. You said you wanted what was best for them, yet you left them with air that isn’t safe to breath, waste continuously pilling in landfills, dirty water, virtually no land left that is undeveloped, and that’s only the start of a list that will keep growing if we don’t do something to prevent further damage.
No, we cannot fix what has been done in the past, but we can work at a healthier planet and prevent further damage. If you want your children to live better than you did, why not provide them with a better environment to live in?
Presidential candidate Donald Trump not only thinks climate change is a hoax, but he has no plan for our environment at all. Donald Trump stated, “I believe there’s weather. I believe there’s change.” Ted Cruz also denies the reality of manmade climate change.
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders agree that action needs to be taken on the issue of climate change. Hillary Clinton has always believed that green energy and climate change are very significant. One part of Clinton’s plan is installing half a billion more solar panels within four years. Bernie Sanders, another candidate who has a strong plan for our environment, thinks that climate change is the biggest issue we are facing today. Sanders wants to decrease carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050.
I feel strongly about environmental issues, and will only vote for an environmentally sensitive candidate. But what really matters is how you feel about this issue. No matter what party you are affiliated with, you can contribute to making our world a better place.
Future generations are affected by the way our environment is being treated today. I am not going to go into detail about the party I stand with because we are all people. No matter what party we all are affected by the same issues. We are all living in this world we call home. We all need to respect and care for the land in which we live, because without it, we are nothing.
Gabriella Curran, 18, of Rindge, attends Conant High School.