Once again we find ourselves in the thick of hurricane season preparing for another catastrophic storm that has the potential to devastate communities. We know the reason these storms are getting worse year after year. 

July 2019 was found to be the hottest month on record, according to CNN. We know that increased temperatures contribute to the development of storms like Hurricane Dorian. 

July was the hottest month on the record because we are warming the planet through our greenhouse emissions. Luckily, there are many things that you can do as a USF student to turn the tide and protect the state of Florida and the planet from these increased storms and rising sea levels.

Many USF students and faculty devote a lot of time and energy to develop new ways to combat climate change. 

The Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF) is a portion of USF’s budget devoted to offsetting the college’s carbon emissions as well as invest in solar panels and other technology meant to decrease our impact on the climate. The SGEF encourages students to propose their own green initiatives that have the potential to be implemented all over campus.

The Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) is on the cutting edge of research in green technology and is actively promoting environmental sustainability. They are an excellent resource for students who would like to have a career in green technology or policy.

However, much of our power to combat climate change rests on our ability to call for action. College campuses have historically been a source of social, economic and political change. Determining the best path to sustainability is important, but it is more important that these ideas actually get implemented on a larger scale. 

Student organizations such as the Climate Action Coalition are dedicated to calling for climate action on the local, state and federal level. If students believe in ensuring that Tampa is habitable for generations to come, the call to action has to start now. 

If students at USF and all over the world truly come to realize the power of their voice, we will be able to stop the worst consequences of climate change through new technology, policy and legislation.