Too Hot To Handle
JANELLE TENGCO | DEC. 4, 2019 | STUDENT LIFE
At Stanton College Preparatory School, environmental destruction is being fought with the collaboration of student advocates and teachers through clubs and education. The actions of the school’s student activists and their call for combating climate change signifies a step toward reducing its effects.
Climate change is seen in the Earth’s decline and its increasingly prevalent outcomes of rising temperatures and flash floods. Considering humans are primarily involved in the devastation and pollution of the environment, the responsibility to combat climate change rests on the shoulders of people.
“In the next 15 to 20 years, as a generation, we will see drastic changes that our current politicians won’t be around to see,” said sophomore Katie Carlson, a student activist at Stanton. “I always try to promote awareness of environmental justice and educate students.”
Unearthing the Consequences
Greenhouse gases, which generate changes in atmospheric and environmental conditions, are a result of burning fossil fuels in industrial plants. In August 2019, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special report titled, “Climate Change and Land.” The organization’s report detailed how the growth of atmospheric carbon dioxide increased the average land temperature by 32.97 degrees more than the global mean temperature from 1999 to 2018.
Greenhouse gases, such as water vapor, nitrous oxide, methane, and carbon dioxide, are the primary gases maintaining the temperature of the planet. Frequent combustion of fossil fuels create carbon dioxide that envelops the world, providing insulation of heat.
An excess of greenhouse gases creates an array of problems including increasing global temperatures, a reduction in air quality, and worsening weather conditions. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reports heavier rainfalls are accompanied by cataclysmic flooding from hurricanes, which damages property and contaminates drinking sources. Warmer regions face consequences such as limited access to drinking water, frequent wildfires, and excessive heat.
“Climate change does affect the rate of natural disasters and agricultural and aquacultural systems,” said Mrs. Norah Betancourt, one of Stanton’s Advanced Placement Environmental Science teachers. “In Florida, we are affected by hurricanes; if the water temperature is higher, there are more storms."
According to Mrs. Betancourt, damage to agricultural fields stem from unprecedented weather conditions. This deterioration extends beyond the land; ocean acidification occurs when carbon dioxide and water combine to produce carbonic acid. The increased saturation of the gas causes a drop in the potential of hydrogen levels and create an excessively acidic environment for aquatic life, a vital source of food for humans.
“This is [the students’] future and it’s going to affect them in a variety of ways,” said Mrs. Mary Fleming, who also teaches AP Environmental Science. “We’re not just looking at plants but our health, the spread of diseases, and agricultural systems.”
The detrimental effects of global warming are not limited to the environment but impact the health of people, as well. The NRDC analyzes the repercussions of climate change by addressing the potential health risks for humans. The organization states the accumulation of liquid fog and smoke particles, known as smog, aggravates the symptoms of 29 million people with asthma in the United States, thus threatening their well-being. Surfacing effects of air pollution will be even more destructive to future generations as the effects of climate change continue to intensify.
“Due to climate change, our health is going to keep declining,” said sophomore Makayla Lee. “Populations from here on out will have to deal with the same problems that we’re starting to be concerned about.”
Students in Action
The drive to take action is not only visible in the protestors outside of school but in students who care about environmental issues. The presence of activist clubs promotes an atmosphere that encourages students to present their opinions, and freely discuss current environmental matters.
The Artistree Club is a notable example of Stanton’s activist clubs, fostering environmentalism in the school’s student population. Artistree’s senior club officer, Gabrielle Doctor, believes when students do not feel the need to clean up after themselves, they add to the club’s responsibility to take initiative and encourage more students to preserve the world.
“[Climate change is] important because we keep on taking from the environment and we’re not giving back,” said Doctor. “Artistree promotes environmental awareness around the school and we also try to have neighborhood cleanups.”
Climate change causes the school’s activists to take action, one such individual being Katie Carlson with her student-led climate strike. Inspired by a rally in Rhode Island, Carlson took on the challenge of expanding student activism in Jacksonville.
“One of my big goals is to educate my fellow students,” said Carlson. “The youth need to band together to spread awareness and fight together to address this climate crisis.”
On Sept. 20, 2019, Carlson organized and led a climate strike to garner the support of Jacksonville citizens and urge Mayor Lenny Curry to sign the Green New Deal pledge. The pledge proposes that Mayor Curry will not take a contribution of more than $200 from fossil fuel industries. The strike’s success was evident in the range of groups that attended, including Stanton’s student activists.
“I only expected a few people to show up,” said junior Ella Humphries, a student who attended the strike. “But there were people from different high schools and people as young as five that came. It was really inspiring because I got to see that I’m not the only one who cares about the world.”
The future of the world is dependent on the actions of emerging students. With aging politicians fading from the political arena and environmental bills undergoing legislation, Jacksonville’s younger generations are the ones who will be affected by the decrees combating climate change. As students continue to fight for a flourishing and unpolluted environment, the challenge of combating climate change does not seem insurmountable.