Over the course of these past few weeks, news has broken out regarding the arrests of celebrities Jane Fonda and Sam Waterson, sparking criticism in regards to law enforcement and the actions and precautions that the United States government is taking in order to preserve the well-being of the planet with an eye set on the future generations.
Fonda and Waterson were arrested Oct. 18 while protesting climate change in Washington, D. C. on the steps of the United States Capitol building. A total of 17 protestors were also arrested at the scene. Their arrests come after a week of protests involving the Earth’s preservation and recycling, which has long been argued between different political parties and entities.
The protests are inspired by the climate change activism initiated by Swedish 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, who has opened eyes to an issue that, until now, many ignored or did not want to think it was actually happening. Since then, many have joined Thunberg’s efforts to lobby politicians about this sensitive issue.
Per National Geographic, a massive 91% of the plastic that is used is not recycled. Tons of plastic end up in the ocean on a yearly basis. As a result, many species become polluted and extinct. Currently, scientists are fighting to keep the oceans clean and to reduce the waste in the ocean in order to preserve these endangered species.
That is not the only side effect or collateral damage caused by pollution. The average temperature of the Earth has been steadily increasing over the past few years. Yet, political figures have tried to prove and declare that data false or misleading, many of which have reportedly launched their own investigations funded by their own political parties and affiliates, of course.
As a result of climate change, ocean levels are rising all around the world, since glaciers are melting at the poles. Pretending that nothing is happening is not the right thing to do.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), sea levels have been rising since the beginning of the 20th century, with the rate increasing over the course of these past few decades. Last year, the sea level had increased 3.2 inches since 1993.
For all of these reasons, we find ourselves in a very delicate situation in which the planet’s and its inhabitants health is at stake while we strive to keep the quality of our planet to the best of our ability.
Although, we find that not all generations view this issue in the same way. In my immediate family environment, trying to make the elders understand the impact that their decisions have on the environment is not as easy as it seems.
Maybe older generations and those who govern us should start listening to the youth and the celebrities who advocate for these emerging activists, regardless of political views and standards.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
