The following is an op-ed submitted by senior Willow Volkert, who is specifically focused on awareness of environmental issues. You can find more of her work at her personal blog for information on how to approach and lessen the threat of climate change. Want to share on opinion of your own? Send an op-ed to [email protected].

Every disaster movie begins with a scientist being ignored. 

The coronavirus is a perfect example of that type of movie. 

Wuhan physician Li Wenliang first realized that COVID-19 was not the typical flu in December. However, he was punished by local authorities for “spreading rumors”. 

Now, four months later, we are in a global pandemic and not allowed to leave our houses. 

Perhaps we should start listening to the scientists, right?

Climate change is that same disaster movie, just in slow-motion. Scientists have been warning the public about how real climate change is for fifty years, yet we continue to ignore them and their solid evidence, just like we ignored Dr. Wenliang. 

We need to stop being ignorant. We need to stop avoiding the obvious because it’s “too scary,” and confront it for what it actually is, just like we all had to finally stop pretending everything was going to be fine by spring break and cancel our plans.

We need to listen to the experts, they’re called that for a reason, and we need to make a change. 

If this quarantine taught you one thing, let it be that the scientists know what they’re talking about. You pretending that what they have to say isn’t valid will only result in more damage, just as it did with COVID-19.

We saw the coronavirus coming, it was an ominous threat in the distance. Yet, most of us rolled our eyes and did not prepare for what was to come. I bet now that you wish you did.

Climate change right now is at the same stage, just an ominous threat in the distance that some people still cannot really see. But it is coming. Australia showed us that. 

We cannot let history repeat itself by not preparing for this disaster too.

It is time. Time to stand up, unite, and work together. It’s time to forget the political circus, party lines, and pointless debates. It’s time to realize that this is now or never. We waited too long to confront the disaster of COVID-19, and we are paying that cost. Let’s not repeat our mistakes. 

Let’s stop this before it’s too late.