When it comes to climate, advocate for what you value

Our names are Angelica Harris and Cristina Mac Cormac, and we go to South Elgin High School and Lake Zurich High School. It is very important to be an advocate for what you value, and we would like to share our experiences with climate anxiety and hopes for the future.

I'm Angelica and I'll go first. Growing up, there were never really lessons taught to my peers and me about global warming or climate change. It was perceived by many as a mere possibility and most people ignored the fact that our planet was being negatively impacted by our own actions.

It wasn't until about eighth grade that I noticed how significantly our planet was changing in a negative manner and studied the science behind climate change. Looking at the way mass production and new advancements in technology created new opportunities while also destroying habitats and ecosystems made me wonder what the future would look like on Earth for me or my children. I've noticed the effects mostly through the news or social media, with the ongoing wildfires, animals in the arctic losing their habitats and even the finding of microplastics amid human blood.

What worries me most is that many people in power choose to ignore our planet's cry for help, which greatly reduces the possibility of reversing the effects of climate change while it's still possible. I choose to partake in lobbying efforts as a way to directly speak to representatives in an effort to make positive changes for our environment. Though this opportunity isn't available for everyone, taking action against climate change is imperative to really making a difference.

Some smaller ways that I've taken action involve organizing litter cleanups with fellow students, teaching others how to make their carbon footprint smaller and working with recycling organizations. Making these changes in my everyday life and encouraging others to do so helps reduce my own climate anxiety. But without the help of others, our current situation with global warming will inevitably be exacerbated.

I'm Cristina. Unlike Angelica's growing anxieties with the climate, mine formed in a different way. From a very early age, I always had an affinity for law, and politics by extension. I took pride in figuring out what wasn't taught at school and understanding how that affects my life. This is how I learned about climate change. The topic wasn't discussed in my education until well into high school while taking an advanced placement environmental science course my junior year.

Building up to my junior year, I watched in distress as environmental disasters swept the media. Watching homes burning down in forest fires, animals beaching at shores and droughts killing fields upon fields of crops opened my eyes to the travesties of climate change that are affecting our country's economy and society in every way.

The natural environment plays a large role in the economy. It provides resources for production and provides many services. If the environment cannot be sustained, the economic growth of our nation will suffer. Maintaining and growing the economy is always the goal, but a shift to more environmentally conscious practices is also essential to maintain that growth.

Currently, the economy is causing an increased consumption of nonrenewable resources, higher levels of pollution and a loss of biodiversity. To combat this destruction, environmental legislation must protect the environment while maintaining GDP.

As a teenager, there is only so much I can do to address this climate anxiety and encourage environmental legislation. To do my part, I am involved in legislative lobbying in which I and others meet with political representatives to encourage legislation protecting the environment. Through this, I am able to stretch my and my peers' climate concerns to be addressed on a larger scale.

Climate anxiety and environmental impacts affect almost every aspect of one's life, from the economy to day-to-day activities. To protect the environment, lifestyle changes are helpful. But most importantly, national legislation protecting the environment and climate will prevent greater harm to our natural resources.

• Angelica Harris and Cristina Mac Cormac attend South Elgin High School and Lake Zurich High School. Last November they participated in a student-designed, student-led lobbying session with Rep. Sean Casten on the subject of climate change.