When I was a child, the possibility of apocalypse due to climate change seemed too distant for me to worry about. I never would have imagined that climate change would be an existential threat not in a few centuries, but within our modern era. But here we are, and it became a weighty issue for me because of an unexpected experience.
I had watched a goofy comedy skit on YouTube when I was around 9 that suggested a “viable” solution to air pollution and climate change would be the use of a large wheel as transportation — rather than cars on wheels. It was an eco-friendly fix without any air pollution emissions. Only sweat.
The skit was ridiculous, but it led me down a rabbit hole of reading about climate change and its causes. My research horrified me.
Since then, climate change has been a major concern in my daily life. Of course, I was a little kid when my interest began, so I started off small. I understood the recycling process and sorted out my family’s trash, not only to put items in the recycling bin, but also to ensure that nonrecyclable fragments didn’t contaminate anything.
I often removed packaging tape from cardboard packages because I knew excess tape would hamper the recycling process. Even small acts help in the long run for slowing the pace of climate change.
Recyclables are mixed with nonrecyclables — before they’re separated — at a material recovery facility in Sun Valley
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
My motivation for a larger effort happened during California’s recent destructive wildfires, which have been increasing in severity and damage. Those fires scared me. “What if the fires reach my home?” I wondered. My concerns drove me to put more effort into my fight. I volunteered at local gardens, volunteered at cleanups, composted my food scraps, bought primarily local produce and committed other seemingly minor acts that are easily achievable for most of us.
So how do I feel about climate change? In the wise words of Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
It may seem daunting, but it is a problem that we can slow down. We can reduce emissions. We can reduce the severity. Maybe we can give the planet the necessary time to achieve equilibrium.
Luong, a recent graduate of Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, is a freshman studying criminal justice at Cal State Fullerton. And yes, his preparations to move into his new apartment included a recycling plan.