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Recycling and the discontinued use of plastic is a major part of our lives right now. We have tried to eliminate the use of plastic bags everywhere we can, we recycle our plastic, glass and cardboard, but it doesn't feel like any change is occurring. There are many parts of the state and country that haven't even done the minimum to make things better yet, so how can we expect to see a huge change?  According to earth.org, "The research found that if no action is taken, the plastic crisis will grow to 29 million metric tons per year by 2040. If we include microplastics into this, the cumulative amount of plastic in the ocean could reach 600 million tons by 2040." That year is a year we can actually imagine. It isn't as if they are saying in 5040, this will occur, it is only 18 years away. We are smarter than this to let it keep occurring. There must be a better way to speed up the recycling of plastic without destroying the environment and planet?!

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Living in New York for most of my life, I have seen how the population has changed drastically since I'm a little girl. We can't seem to go anywhere, at any time of the week or any time of the day without hitting traffic. So many people want to leave the area because of it and it makes me so sad. I love New York and I wanted to stay here forever, but with the population increasing at the rate it is, and the cost of living rising every year, I don't see how. According to WatchMojo.com, the #1 danger to our planet is overpopulation. In 1950, it was 2.5 billion and now it is over 7 billion. Some people doubt the earth can withstand this continued growth.

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Another fear I have developed has been pandemics. What we just went through with COVID was awful. I am very blessed that my family is safe, but the effects of the pandemic are long lasting and living through it was the most bizarre experience of my life. According to WatchMojo.com, highly contagious illnesses or a pandemic could wipe out the world's population. The flu pandemic in 1918 killed 3 percent of the population. I always have hope we will learn from such things but it seemed like we were running in circles during COVID and never truly knowing what the correct thing to do was.

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I completely admit that I do not know a lot about the governments of the world or even my own government. It is extremely confusing to me and as I get older, I feel as if everyone is lying and there is no real way to tell the truth from a lie. We see so many things that we need help with, here and abroad, and I always feel like we could be doing and living better, but government seems to just fight and battle and compete so much, that things do not get done or get better. I had gone to visit the United Nations a few years ago and was amazed at the wonderful things they seem to be involved and even felt compelled to think about how I might join them. However, according to earth.org, "organisations such as the United Nations are not fit to deal with the climate crisis: it was assembled to prevent another world war and is not fit for purpose." I am lucky that my husband is interested and I ask him for information because I do realize it is important for myself and my children to be a part of change and be knowledgeable. However, I am afraid of what can occur with the wrong people in charge, not just in the United States.

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One of my biggest fears is a tidal wave. I live in Long Beach and have always lived near the ocean. I never had a fear of the ocean or saw the negative side to living so close to it until Hurricane Sandy. We were affected very badly and it traumatized our family and our home town. My children will forever be different because of what we went through. At some point in my life, prior to Sandy, I had seen images of a tidal wave destroying entire towns and cities and never really considered it something for us to actually worry about. Now, I do. It took me a long time to forgive the ocean for what it took from us during Sandy and I have no desire to move inland, but I also do have a fear of what can happen living where we live. Watching my oldest daughter be a surf instructor and surf and feel so much love while in the ocean has helped a great deal and I hope that is not taken from her. According to earth.org, "The sea level rise will have a devastating impact on those living in coastal regions: according to research and advocacy group Climate Central, sea level rise this century could flood coastal areas that are now home to 340 million to 480 million people, forcing them to migrate to safer areas and contributing to overpopulation and strain of resources in the areas they migrate to." It seems my tidal wave is not the only coastal issue for me to worry about.