Since 1970, when Earth Day started, we have all come together to celebrate and help our planet. As I wrote in a previous post, there are several things you can do to become more environmentally conscious.

Many people across the world come together to help Planet Earth thrive

Earth Day – Climate Conscious

However, a more recent story discussed the urgency of climate change. More people are aware of the dangers of the problem than in previous years. Students walked out of their classrooms to raise awareness, and books are being written about it.

Recycling? Think again

The act of recycling your plastics, glass, paper, etc. has become commonplace in our country and in many parts of the world. However, as NBC’s “Today” reported, this once popular task has all but disappeared in several areas of the country. After China decided to no longer accept our recyclables, small cities in several states decided to send their recyclables “straight to landfills.”

Translation? They’re no longer recycling, and pollution is getting worse!

Solutions

The only way to fix it is to look in the mirror. As the video below shows us, we have become so dependent on another country (China) to break down our recyclables, that we don’t know how to do it ourselves.

NBC News’ Jacob Soboroff shows us why we need to learn how to recycle for ourselves

Many options to save the planet

While recycling is a big part, we need to do more. As CBS News discussed with former Secretary of State John Kerry, climate change is a huge issue that affects “life and death.”

“We’re now learning that the ocean is warming at 40% faster than it was 10 years ago,” he said. “Everything has accelerated. The storms are more intense. The fires are more intense…Solar is now cheaper than coal. It’s about 88% percent reduction of the cost of solar. Wind is about 69% cheaper than it was 10 years ago.”

Earth vs. the law

Not only are former and present government officials getting involved. Teenagers and young adults are also speaking up. In fact, according to CBS’ “60 Minutes”, one group sued the government over climate change.

A group of 21 teens and young adults have filed suit against the government over climate change

Earth and the future of our children

The problem has gotten so bad that some people are wondering about the future. Indeed, according to NBC News, some millennials are wondering whether to bring children into our world.

“There is this sense that if you don’t have kids soon, you could be putting them in a harder position,” Erika Lundahl said. “But if you do have them, that will not be easy either, with the storms, the intense droughts, the precariousness of the times. It’s like you are playing with two ticking time bombs — yours and the planet’s.”

She’s not alone. As the story continues, climate change is now a factor for many when deciding to become parents. While many agree that having children is a major decision, the positives and negatives now include an issue never considered before. Thus, the importance of helping our planet thrive is more important than ever.

So, how will you contribute?