Indira Venkiteshwaran is a 12-year-old Lexington resident.

As we all know, climate change is a big problem. Climate change is the process of the earth getting hotter each year. Climate change is long-term shifts in the weather. Climate change is a horrendous issue that needs to be stopped, but sadly, we are already so far into climate change that it may soon become irreversible. The effects of climate change would be devastating and cause millions of animals and ecosystems to die.

But what does Lexington have to do with any of this? Well, Lexington is in the suburbs, so we don’t contribute as much as some cities, but we are still a problem. In Lexington, almost everyone has cars. Cars produce gases in the air which lead to climate change. To add on, many people have multiple cars, so that just adds up the amount of gases and carbon dioxide.

Another way we contribute to climate change is through the use of gas stoves and reliance on fossil fuel energy in many homes—especially because Lexington has a lot of older homes. But it’s not just Lexington—every one of us in the world is the problem.

Lexington has also been involved in helping the climate change crisis. According to “The Town Of Lexington” website, Lexington is now a part of The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (TGCMCE). TGCMCE contains 7,462 cities, bringing together cities and towns to help slow down climate change, and Lexington is a prominent member of this organization. Lexington has also started adding solar panels and using renewable energy.

Here is what you can do to become part of the solution. If you see garbage on the ground, you can pick it up. You can think of it as saving an animal because that piece of trash could end up in the ocean and kill an animal. Instead of driving to a place that is five minutes away, you could walk there to save energy or you could take public transit. If a light is on in your house and no one is in that room, you can turn it off—this is also to save energy.

So, now we need to take action! I know it may seem too small or insignificant, but if everyone in Lexington did a little each day, that would add up to a lot. Climate change is happening fast, and soon it will affect our daily lives. We don’t want to look back and think, ‘We should have tried to help,’ when we can help now. So, be part of the solution and help! 

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1 Comment

  1. China is the largest producer of greenhouse gas, more than twice what the US produces and on its way to 3x. What is Lexington doing to stop China from building 2-3 new coal fired electric plants every week? India is far behind, but also increasing CO2 production with new coal fired electric plants. At least they are on the electrification party boat. I agree that climate change is irreversible. The Earth has experienced climate change for many hundreds of million years.

    By all means, keep doing little things without any measurable impact to feel better about yourselves. It is good for your mental health.

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