Act Now or Forever Destroy the Planet
By: Ally Lackie
Tags: Planets, Climate Change, Earth, Climate, Education

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

The Bottom Line

Climate change continues to negatively impact our planet, and it seems that we’re not doing anything about it. If individuals were more educated on the topic, and the severity of it, maybe everyone would do their part and contribute. The first step we need to take as a society is to educate each other and aid one another in understanding climate change. There are barriers that keep people from doing their part to combat climate change, and the number one reason is because they simply do not know how. Perhaps there is a political barrier, as well. We must break through these obstacles and focus on the betterment of our planet.

Let Me Explain

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Students in a class called Analytics for Design, part of the ID:EA Certificate at Boise State University conducted research on a topic they had passion towards. I focused my research on climate change by conducting interviews, gathering survey results, and analyzing the data I received. The survey was distributed solely to college students, so the data represents responses from the age group born between 1998 and 2001. 77.1% of survey respondents are female and 21.7% are male. Survey responses were gathered through Facebook groups, Twitter feeds, and email.

77.1% of survey participants are female, and 21.7% are male.

Why Climate Change?

I chose to focus on climate change because I understand how crucial it is to protect the earth. Humans have the power to get the world back to where it needs to be. According to NASA, “the current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is extremely likely (greater than 95% probability) to be the result of human activity since the mid-20th century and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented over decades to millennia.” The concept is often brought up in political atmospheres, even though the climate should not be divided. Educating myself, as well as others, is my overall goal. The following link includes all the research gathered prior to gathering data: https://app.milanote.com/1KuDbJ1LjAzIfe?p=ceY6ZUotbvi. Follow the link to review the primary research, resources, and the initial solution ideas.

Now, the Real Stuff

The main reason survey participants do not make changes in their daily lives to fight against climate change is because they simply do not know how.

One of the barriers to combatting climate change, which was previously mentioned, are political affiliations. 36.1% of survey participants believe that the topic is political. Additionally, 19.3% selected “neutral.” Clearly, this is proven to be an obstacle in protecting the climate.

The majority of survey participants believe that climate change is not discussed enough on college campuses. Education is the first step in fighting global warming, yet it is not talked about.

The majority of survey participants are interested in taking a class on climate change.

So, Where Do We Go From Here?

It seems clear that society is lacking as a whole when it comes to climate education. The topic brings up a sense of discomfort, and is often shut down in conversation. The first step is to normalize the topic. If any change is to be made, if we have any chance of making an impact, then we must begin talking about it. I have created a solution that I believe will not only normalize open discussion, but educate society. My solution design involves requiring a class at all universities on climate change. This would be a 100-level course that freshmen, as well as transfer students, would have to take before moving on to upper-division classes. Mandating a course on climate change will not only teach students about the ongoing issue, but will also force people to discuss it. When the topic is engraved into curriculum, it will likely become less political.

Let’s Wrap It Up

Let’s face it. Clearly, something needs to be done immediately. The earth provides us with so much, and we should be willing to support it, in return. Before we know it, it may be too late to make a difference. We must educate ourselves, admit to our faults, remove the political affiliations, and create change. Our actions, as humans, have the potential to save the climate.

Provided here is my messy data gathered over the past seven weeks.

Please email me at allylackie@u.boisestate.edu with any questions, comments, or concerns.