Benjamin Franklin once said don't put
off till tomorrow what you can do today
but it's human nature to procrastinate
when the task is too hard or too
time-consuming most of us choose to
leave it to later
just like that homework we all know we
should have done yesterday right when we
put off things like this it's not the
end of the world but listen here's one
thing we just cannot put off till
tomorrow because if we do it will be at
the end of the world
and that is the global climate crisis 35
years ago my mom went diving in
Australia's Great Barrier Reef I
remember her telling me even as a little
kid how beautiful it was the rainbow
corals covered the entire ocean floor
were all kinds of fish swam protected in
their natural habitat fast forward to
2017 my family visited the Great Barrier
Reef
I could barely contain my excitement for
seeing the most beautiful place with my
own eyes however to my dismay I was
greeted with bleached and lifeless
corals they were dead that sunburn
there was an unprecedented bleaching
event caused by the warming waters due
to climate change and according to
National Geographic less than 50 percent
of the Great Barrier Reef survived think
of the coral reefs and the vital organs
like the heart much like the Amazon
forest is a lungs of the earth it
provides habitat and shelter for many
species including humans and without it
people all around the world will suffer
from famine and malnutrition but it
doesn't end there
I spacers are mounting at rapid rates
fires the most devastating continue to
ravage Australia floods droughts super
storms and other extreme disasters will
increase yes we are currently in the
midst of the sixth mass extinction
that's when it hit me at the age of 15 I
found out that the planet was dying yet
no one was talking about it more
disturbingly no one was acting on it why
was everyone so complacent it made me
furious how could I not be we hadn't
created the problem but our generation
were the ones being left to deal with it
my fury turns a panic I had to do
something I researched ways to be more
sustainable and read every article about
climate change stop wasting electricity
limit animal foods stop by plastic
fast-fashion recycled reduce and I did
all of that but in the end I felt like
nothing around me was changing my panic
turned to helplessness and I felt lost
and alone
then I saw Greta to birth a girl the
same age as me known for climate change
activism
I watched her TED talk and when that
video ended I was in tears and in awe of
her strength her words resonated me why
should I be studying for a future that
will soon be no more when no one is
doing whatsoever to save that future all
this time she had started a movement
called Friday's her future for students
all over the world strike on the school
day against the lack of action on the
climate crisis all this time I have felt
so powerless but Greta was proof that I
can do it too I attended a workshop that
finest for future Tokyo was holding to
learn about the climate emergence
the declaration it was truly eye-opening
I was in a room filled with like-minded
people and even though I was one of the
youngest I felt like I belong there I
listened to the guest speakers
workshopped ideas and created banners
with people who have never thought I
would be able to relate to we walk to
the middle of Shibuya station and just
stood there in a circle facing out
holding up her banners the amount of
attention that we got it came in goose
bumps people stopped by to take photos
sparked conversation and I finally felt
like I had a voice I asked to join their
organization and they invited me to be
part of the creative team we plan the
details for the September global March
and I design and produce promotional
brochures that were distributed to
schools and local stores like Patagonia
all of it was not easy but it was all
worth it because of September 20th 2,800
people came to march on the streets of
Shibuya a hundred times more than the
most recent demonstration seeing such a
huge turnout including so many a sij
students all raising their voices and
protest
it gave me an overwhelming sense of
accomplishment and belief that one
person locked arms with many can make a
change it empowered me and embolden me
to think bigger I went to listen to the
mayor of Tokyo and ask questions to the
reform Commissioner which actually began
our continued conversation about Japan's
efforts to reduce plastic waste I also
felt that I could create the same
environment and community at a sij
together working with other students I
began a club called sustainable fashion
joining efforts we were able to raise
around 140,000 which we donated to
Australia within one single week it's
been 3 years since my shocking discovery
of the coral reefs dying and it took me
a year and a half to understand that one
person make
Changez and asking for change was not
enough when I took a first step enjoyed
the organization when I began working
with others that's when I found my voice
and that's when I was finally heard we
all need to start taking ourselves more
seriously retweeting a hashtag or
sharing an insta post about climate
change yeah sure is spread awareness but
for how long we need to go beyond that
we don't need to be an expert in the
field or in a position of power to
affect change challenge yourself learn
about the environment and how we're
destroying it
how you're destroying it and teach
others who don't know show others that
you care by taking action so that we can
live free from the fear that there is no
tomorrow together we could face this
fear together we can make history and be
proud to tell our children one of the
world's greatest victories ever a
victory over the climate crisis together
we can make a change the next step is up
to you