Jason Mayeda is a senior at West Torrance High School, and a Southern California Climate Action Fellow. He believes in the potential of alternative green energy and wants to pursue a career in environmental engineering to make his impact on the world. He prefers to spend his free time with friends while enjoying the unmatched SoCal weather.

The devastating floods in Colorado have been the worst in living memory, resulting in hundreds left missing and well over one billion dollars in property damages. It is important to remember this tragedy for what it was and mourn those who were lost. However, it is of equal importance to not allow those numbers to simply become another statistic to memorize. Discovering the true causes of this disaster and how to counteract them will ensure that future such disasters may be avoided. The flooding was not a caused completely by some random occurrence – but amplified as a result of global climate change.

Awareness is the first step. We now stand at a critical point in our planet’s history as we are faced with the choice between a continued reliance on fossil fuels and the pursuit of clean alternative energy. Ignorance of environmental issues cannot continue as the public will need to be able to make informed decisions in the months and years to come. The massive Colorado floods were triggered by storms greater than ever seen in the region. Climate change played a significant role in these storms as future climate projections predict a generally warmer planet with more frequent, stronger storms. This event may offer a window into a world in which the public did not act upon the environmental issues they faced. Steps must be taken to avoid this now.

The world that future generations will inhabit will be shaped by the action or inaction that we choose to take now. Get involved today. Simple routine changes multiplied across the millions in this country will have a significant impact on the future we create. Take it a step further, and get involved in your community – promoting sustainable products and spreading awareness of today’s big environmental issues. It starts with you. You can’t change the world before you first change yourself.