On April 22, not two weeks ago, we as a planet celebrated an intercontinental holiday, Earth Day. This is a time that we as a species must must reflect upon ourselves, our habits, our daily activities, and take stock. Humans have a tendency to ignore the negative impact they have on the environment. 

Have you ever found yourself driving to something you easily could have biked to, or even walked to? Vehicles are the biggest contributors to air pollution in the nation, producing over one-third of all pollution present in America's airways. All the smog, which includes carbon monoxide among other toxins, that leaves a car's tailpipe has the ability to be breathed in by millions on the street level and from there rises, contributing to the greenhouse effect and returns back in the form of acid rain. It is this rise in exhaust fume output, through the use of gasoline and diesel fuels, that has caused a 1 degree uptick in global temperatures since pre-industrial times. Now this may not seem like a lot,  but such a change in temperature comes with its own host of problems. 

From the melting of the polar icecaps to worldwide oceanic flooding, the prospect poses a serious threat to Earth's well being.  It is time that we took a stand, to rise up, to demand change, because soon it may be too late.