It is an outrage that short-sighted politicians have deceptively kept global climate change out of the publicâ??s eye.

For the last 10 years global climate change has been an issue that many people have disregarded, avoided and denied.

The first investigative hearing since the Democrats took control of Congress was focused on allegations that White House officials micromanaged the governments climate programs and have closely controlled what scientists have been allowed to tell the public.

It is an outrage that short-sighted politicians have deceptively kept global climate change out of the publics eye. The potential effects of global climate change, by scientific measures, do not appear to be short term. When the Arctic melts its not coming back. When one-third of the species on earth become extinct, theyre not coming back either.

As the next generation, as the worlds next leaders, we cannot address global climate change like those before us and those presently among us. The time for action is now.

Back in 1970 the first Earth Day led to a paradigm shift of environmental awareness among our politicians. Thus, former president Richard Nixon passed the first environmental act, the Nixon Environmental Policy Act, later followed by the Environmental Policy Act.

Historically, universities have led the way in grassroots changes. Presently on campus, a coalition of student organizations and community groups are being formed with the sole purpose of changing the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukees environmental policy, aiming to reduce UWMs global warming emissions down to zero.

Renewable energy is an opportunity for UWM to make its mark. The University of Wisconsin is already a nationally acclaimed research university. UWM should be a national leader in developing and implementing solutions to global warming.

The earths present course is not set in stone and even the best scientists cannot predict the future. As the greatest polluters on this planet we therefore have the greatest ability to make a difference.

I urge you to get involved in this environmental movement. You can get involved by writing letters to your government representatives, asking them to take action on global warming. You can do your own small part in reducing CO2, such as taking the bus more than driving and using compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little. “ Edmund Burke

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