Dear Future U.S. President,

     Most people don't seem to care about problems their trash might cause. The results of the problems they do cause can be summed up with one word: tragic. Large amounts of our trash in some way ends up in the ocean or some other part of the environment. Not only does our trash harm the plants and animals, air pollution causes acid rain, which poisons the soil. We should act on this because it will, left undisturbed, cause huge mass extinctions, hurt our farms, cutting of our food supply, and make our air toxic.

     This is a worldwide problem that has been going on for decades, not just on land, but at sea as well, and also in the air. On land, toxic waste pollutes the soil, killing any plants growing in it. In the air, pollutants creates acidic and toxic rain and snow, which falls both on land and at sea. This acidifies the oceans, worsening the already desperate situation there. Sea turtles, with their poor vision, mistake plastic bags for jellyfish. when they eat them, they are suffocated by the bags, which also shred up their stomachs. And their not the only animals that mistake our trash for their food. And, of course, there is a huge spike in carbon dioxide levels that we are undeniably the cause of.

     Cutting of the pollution at it's source means getting rid of fossil fuel power plants, several plastic products, and gasoline-fueled cars, which are seen as everyday necessities today, but all have cleaner alternatives. Electric cars, for example,with disposable batteries, can be charged at home, where power can be provided by solar and wind farms. Fossil fuels are still not out of the picture, as they are still used to make plastics. But plastics have become somewhat indispensable, so recycling will be useful to prevent further pollution. An alternative to plastic bags would be cloth bags, which are reusable, and paper bags, which are recyclable.

     With a global problem harming the environment and poisoning our air and water, our future hangs in the balance. This is something we cannot just ignore, given the fact that the negative outcomes can destroy our food sources, kill millions of plants and animals, and poison our air. It is vital that we act on this because, ultimately, it will determine our future. If we do act, we can save the planet. If we don't, future generations might not stand a chance. My recommendation would be to replace our environmentally unfriendly habits and replace them with clean, non-pollutant habits. I hope that you will make our nation a cleaner place.

                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                    Owen T.