"80 by '50! 80 by '50!" was the chant that resonated throughout the University of Maryland stadium on Nov. 3, where more than 6,000 students from across the country had gathered for Power Shift 2007. The students' demand to reduce America's carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050 was wholeheartedly embraced by U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a keynote speaker at the nation's first ever youth summit on climate change.

On the agenda for the four-day conference were panel discussions and workshops, ranging from topics on environmental justice to sources of clean energy such as wind power. Various speakers presented throughout the conference, bringing new ideas and inspiration. Power Shift concluded Monday with a rally on Capitol Hill and lobbying efforts showing Congress that a change in policy is not only desired but absolutely essential.

What struck us most at Power Shift was the presence of so much diversity among students, and yet the absence of division. The climate crisis is not about "eco-elitists" seeking to obtain an idealistic standard for the environment; it is about embracing our differences and banding together to preserve a world for our children and all future generations.

Scientific evidence shows that increased carbon emissions by humans have led to a strongly correlated increase in the temperature of the earth. Never before in the earth's fluctuating temperature cycles has there been this dramatic of a temperature increase. The issue no longer lies in whether human actions are the cause of our climate's changes; the issue is what actions can and must be implemented to reduce and eventually eliminate carbon emissions. The increasing carbon in the atmosphere is a major contributor to the severe changes in the weather patterns we have been witnessing in the past decade.

Visible evidence of the changing climate is all around us. Simply open your eyes to the struggles of your fellow humans: droughts, famines, fires and hurricanes—all brought about by weather conditions more extreme than we have ever before seen. When disasters strike, the poor are the most vulnerable.

According to the Energy Information Administration, the U.S. contains only 5 percent of the world's population, and yet we produce 25 percent of carbon emissions. Many poverty-stricken countries, in Africa for example, produce very little carbon dioxide. The people inhabiting these places are often the ones most affected by disastrous weather conditions. Clearly, solving the climate crisis delves into the growing concern for environmental justice.

Confronting the climate crisis is an overwhelming task; each person must not lose sight of her or his potential contribution. Although recycling and flipping off lights are the typical (but effective) suggestions for reducing one's environmental impact, there are many more opportunities. Marquette's Students for an Environmentally Active Campus meets on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union to discuss environmental issues surrounding the university. One of SEAC's missions is to create a culture of environmental responsibility on our campus.

In addition, SEAC participates in service projects such as river clean-ups and organic farm visits. It is also crucial to educate oneself on the environmental agendas of the 2008 presidential candidates.

With the election one year away, we must secure the future of our planet by voting for someone who will make the climate crisis the priority it needs to be. Young people, like the thousands at Power Shift 2007, will be at the forefront of this social and economic movement. But we also require new action by the world's governments and most of all, our own.

So we are here together, to forge a path to lead this change.