The climate crisis isn’t coming. It is here now. And it is impacting everything, from our lives and livelihoods to our food systems and national security. And it impacts our present and our future. 70 degrees in late October may feel nice— but do you remember the childhood Halloweens we complained to our parents about putting a jacket over our cool costume? Warming up late at night at home with your candy haul?
These are things of the past. On October 31st, the high was 73. Crisp Halloween nights are something our children will never get to experience.
But it doesn’t need to be a death sentence for us.
It needs to impact our vote in this election.
We must elect leaders who will tackle the crisis at the necessary scale and scope. Unless we do, the recent climate disasters will be only a preview of much worse to come. Our anguish will run much deeper than that of nostalgia.
When it comes to this climate crisis, the choice before voters this election could not be more stark.
Vice President Harris knows the climate crisis is real, understands the need for urgent action, and has placed fighting the crisis at the center of her campaign. Throughout her entire career from her time in California to the Senate and now to her time as Vice President, Kamala Harris has been a climate champion. And so has Governor Walz.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has made clear that if he is re-elected, he will not only roll back the progress we’ve made over the last three years in tackling the climate crisis, but will seek to roll back the last three decades worth of progress on climate, and so much else.
And we simply can not afford that.
The fact is, we are running out of time to act. And we certainly can’t afford to go backwards.
Give our kids the bundled up annoyance of winter coats on Halloween—let our future be at the forefront of your vote.
-Katie Karwick, EMU student
