ENVIRONMENT

The environment is everything around us—it’s the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the places where animals and plants live. It keeps our world healthy and in balance, and without it, we wouldn’t survive. But right now, the planet is facing some big challenges. Climate change, pollution, and the destruction of nature are all getting worse. The decisions we make today can either help protect the Earth or make things even harder for future generations. And even though you might be too young to vote right now, there are still so many ways you can make a difference.

How Politics Affects the Environment

Politics is all about the decisions people make for our country, our state, and our local communities. Politicians, the people who make those decisions, have a lot of power to help—or harm—the environment. They create laws that can protect forests, clean up pollution, and stop climate change. But some decisions, like burning too much oil and gas or allowing companies to pollute, can make the planet worse.

Even though you may not be able to vote, you still have a voice. You can encourage the people around you—like your parents, teachers, or family members—to make the environment a top priority when they vote. The better the decisions made by politicians, the healthier the world will be for everyone, including you.

Why the Environment Should Be the Top Priority

The environment is not just something nice to think about—it’s the foundation for everything we care about, like clean water, food, and healthy wildlife. When politicians make decisions that harm the environment, it affects everyone: you, your family, animals, and the planet. Unfortunately, politicians sometimes forget to put the environment first and focus more on things like making money or solving problems for today without thinking about the future.

If we don’t start making the environment a priority now, it could get worse. More pollution, wildfires, floods, and dangerous weather will affect everyone’s life. If we keep waiting, we risk losing the things that make life possible. The future of the planet depends on the decisions we make today.

Why Your Voice Matters

Even though you can’t vote yet, you still have a powerful voice, and you can help make a difference! Here’s how:

1. Talk to the adults around you. Ask your parents, teachers, or other family members about their thoughts on the environment. See if they know which politicians care about the planet. You can even help them find out more about candidates who are working hard to protect nature.

2. Encourage adults to vote for the planet. Remind the grown-ups in your life that climate change, clean air, and protecting nature should be at the top of the list when they vote. If you talk about these issues, they will remember how important it is to think about the planet’s future.

3. Ask important questions. When adults talk about voting, you can ask:

   • “Do the candidates care about stopping climate change?”

   • “Are they planning to protect wildlife?”

   • “Will they create clean energy jobs to help the environment?”

Even though you can’t vote yourself, asking these kinds of questions helps remind everyone about how important the planet is!

Look at Local Politics, Too

It’s not just about who becomes president. Local politicians—like your town or city council—make decisions that affect the environment right near you. For example, they can make rules to stop pollution, protect parks and forests, or even clean up waste in your community. Even though it might seem like these things aren’t as big as national decisions, they matter a lot to your everyday life. Pay attention to what’s happening in your neighborhood and ask your family about any local laws that are helping—or hurting—the environment.

Hold Politicians Accountable

Once the adults around you vote for politicians who say they care about the environment, it’s important to make sure those politicians keep their promises. Politicians need to know that we care about the environment, and they need to follow through on the things they say they will do.

Even though you can’t vote yet, you can still speak up! Here’s how:

• Talk to your leaders: Write letters or ask to attend meetings where you can express why the environment is important to you. Politicians listen to their communities, and when enough people speak up, they can’t ignore it.

• Keep the pressure on: If politicians promise to protect the planet, remind them to keep those promises. The more people who ask for action, the more likely they are to make the right choices.

The Future Is in Your Hands

You might not be able to vote yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference. You can help protect the environment by talking to the adults in your life, encouraging them to vote for leaders who care about the planet, and asking questions that make the environment a priority.

Together, we can help create a world where the environment comes first—a world where the future is bright, safe, and healthy for everyone. The time to act is now! You have the power to inspire the people around you and make sure they are thinking about the future of the planet.

Let’s protect the Earth—for ourselves and for everyone who will live here in the future.