This is a guest post by Jessica Rouzan, a junior at Downers Grove South High School in Illinois. Jessica is a member of the varsity dance team, the Fillies, and is a contributor to her high school’s newspaper, Blueprint.

You are the future of the world. You have the choice to make a change. But how can you make a difference?

It is easy to become overwhelmed by all of the propaganda in the world telling you to take care of the environment. You hear so much about the bad that is happening, that you don’t know how you could possibly make a difference.  However the little things you do can have a big impact, and some of them are a lot easier than you think.

The easiest way to make a big change for the environment? Getting involved in government by voting. Not what you expected? But it’s true: The government has the biggest potential impact on climate change. They can create really big, national initiatives that make a critical difference in putting a stop to climate change.

Here is what you do:

1. Research the candidates. Whether they be running for local office, or running to be the president of the United States, politicians make a lot of change in climate change initiatives. Go to the websites for their campaigns and look at their views on climate change and how they plan on stopping it.
2. Register to vote. It’s not too late! In many states, you can still register to vote on Election Day. Look up Same-Day voter registration in your state to find out more. To find more information on when you can register go to http://www.canivote.org/
3. Vote. Even if it is just in your school election, being involved in your government is extremely important. On Nov. 6^th, make the youth vote heard.