As the lively discussions around the dinner table begin to wane, someone brings up the topic of climate, sparking a renewed wave of conversation. The sight of snow cascading gently outside the window or the blazing sun that makes us drip with sweat provides a backdrop for lively new discussions. Yet, beneath this light-hearted banter lies a profound reality that climate change is more than small talk.
It is a precious cause.
It is something worth fighting for.
It is something worth protecting.
According to a census conducted by Our World in Data, 77% of people in America believe that climate change poses a serious threat to humanity. This percentage is significantly lower than in other parts of the world, such as the Philippines, where 97% of the population views climate change as a serious threat, and Brazil, where 93% share this belief.
“Climate change is like one of the biggest issues so far, that will destroy our climate if it doesn’t get fixed in the next 10 years,” senior Maximillian Tang said. “Climate change means to me definitely like a struggle for existence in a world where we’ve industrialized beyond repair at some point. Also a struggle against the ultra-wealthy and also a test of democracy.”
The winter storm that hit Houston in January 2025 brought joy and excitement to many residents, as they reveled in the rare sight of snow-covered streets and glistening tree branches. However, this unusual snow is not a winter wonder, but rather it signifies the declining health of our climate.
“Honestly I did enjoy snow day because like it’s Texas, we don’t get snow and it’s refreshing but definitely this is like slightly of a negative sign because that’s not how our climate is supposed to be,” sophomore Trisha Sahu said. “It shows how inconsistent our temperatures are as we didn’t get snow for the past few years so it could be slightly concerning.”
In response to the pressing challenge of climate change, seniors Isabella Wu, Margaret Zheng, and Emilie Efendy developed an app called Forever Green. Through interactive features and informative content, Forever Green aims to inspire youth to embrace a greener lifestyle and become advocates for a sustainable future.
“We were actually volunteering for SCC, which is Steel City Codes and as we were teaching them, we made this word problem or this coding problem, something about sustainability,” Wu said. “And when they reached that word, they were like, ‘oh, what does sustainability mean?’ And we were like this is a big problem, especially because climate change is so important to their future.”
Efendy said that the app is designed to transform the often daunting subject of climate change into an engaging and approachable experience for young students. It features a user-friendly carbon footprint calculator that allows students to measure their ecological impact, alongside a smart AI chatbot ready to provide instant answers to their questions.
“Climate change is a very big issue,” Efendy said. “It’s really important that we have them stay educated and make sure that they have a holistic understanding of this issue, rather than just biased information from news sources. We’re trying to incentivize learning, just for the sake of learning and also with this app as well.”
An article from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlights the significant impact that tree planting and the establishment of community gardens can have in cooling urban heat islands. Climate change is a issue that is very crucial to Sahu, who sees the effects everyday.
“One summer trip I was going to India and I visit that place like every six months so I kind of know the temperature,” Sahu said. “But once like after there was like a factory made right next to where I lived the temperature went up by so much it was noticeably way hotter and it went so hot it went to the 50 degrees Celsius.”
Even in the shadows of yearly hurricanes, heat strokes, and devastations, Tang said that there is considerable misinformation about this issue among the student body.
“I’m a Houston citizen,” Tang said. “For a few days, there was no power. Especially if you have allergies, that [climate change] was a huge thing. And also, there were a lot of people who died, because they didn’t have the necessary infrastructure to support such an unexpected weather change.”
According to a census by Our World in Data, only 68% of people in the United States support policies aimed at addressing climate change, while 80% of people in Turkey back such measures. Sahu emphasized that taking action on this issue at the school level is extremely important.
“On a school level I feel like we could definitely raise awareness by posters,” Sahu said. “Sending out newsletters or raising specific rules to ensure we keep climate change in check like reducing electricity and things like that.”
Climate change is a pressing and urgent issue that affects the planet in profound ways. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting ecosystems serve as stark reminders of the challenges ahead. To effectively combat this global crisis, it is essential that each person takes responsibility and plays their part in sustainability.
“Climate change is a really obvious issue that needs to be tackled and needs to be addressed,” Sahu said. “It’s on a really large scale so obviously just a small community helping won’t make that big of a change but it definitely needs more attention to be brought to it.”
It is time to understand that climate change is not only small talk, but the main conversation.
