when you hear about the galápagos, you think pristine biodiversity. but the island ecosystem and its native flora and fauna are actually under attack by multiple invasive species, one of which is threatening none other than darwin’s finches.

learn more about the history, research, and action plan behind this environmental emergency below.

check out my experience in the galápagos below!

“it’s too late.”

“the change is too small to work. we need bigger corporations in it to work.”

these are the words often heard by environmentalists when arguing for more environmental protection. and although leaning on a pessimistic attitude, these feeling are not entirely wrong. it is easy to see our forests crumbling to the logging, our oceans filling up with take-out boxes, and the average global temperature showing no signs of decreasing. and with that, it is hard to notice how influential the past decades of big and small strides toward environmental protection have been. without recognizing how fruitful these efforts are, it becomes even harder to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains.

below are some achievements that show we still have power to make a positive impact for earth.

1. the infamous ozone hole above antarctica has been found to be in recovery.

the main cause for ozone depletion was due to long-lived man-made chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (cfcs). the contained chlorine released by the sun’s energy then go on to destroy the ozone. since discovering cfcs were responsible, the montreal protocol banned its production in 1987. today, we have direct proof that the recorded ozone depletion is declining correspondingly.

2. plastic pollution is being limited by plastic bans.

washington, d.c.; san francisco; seattle; boston; kenya; chile; the united kingdom; australia; and china are just some of the cities and countries that have contributed to decreasing the amount of plastic waste. policies established to entirely ban, regulate, or tax single-use plastic bags successfully decreased this type of waste. in 2012, san francisco not only implemented the ban on single-use plastic bags but also a 10 cent charge on compliant alternative checkout bags. this legislation spearheaded a culture of reusable grocery bags that has become the norm today. and some other areas, like france, even expanded the ban to plastic plates and cutlery.

3. scientists are finding ways to restore the dying coral reefs.

coral reefs are commonly known as the “rainforests of the sea.” they provide nutrients and shelter for 25% of marine life, and they act as a natural barrier to protect coastal communities from waves, storms, and floods. due to ocean acidification, a fifth of the world’s reefs have died. one way scientists are fighting back against the pollution is by seeding reefs with coral offspring to help restore and rehabilitate this essential ecosystem.

4. science designed for sustainability — and consumers.

you can go green at home, and while you’re away from home with two growing areas of technology: solar and electric vehicles, or evs. while harvesting solar power has been around for more than a century, it was only until president bush signed the energy policy act of 2005 due to high gasoline costs that solar panels became more commercially accessible. this legislation raised the commercial investment tax credit by 30%. this generator for clean renewable power not only limits greenhouse gas emissions and helps shrink your carbon footprint, but it also can save you money long-term. the switch has been supported and encouraged through government subsidies. in 1975, solar panels costed about $100 per watt. today, our national average has dropped to $3.05 per watt. as for evs, the number of electric cars on the road is increasing and climate change-contributing emissions are decreasing. the environmental benefits become even greater when these cars are charged using renewable energy, such as solar.

5. communities are evolving to incorporate green alternatives.

here are three examples:

• walk score was founded in 2007 hoping to promote walkable neighborhoods and a shift away from necessities of a car to go about day-to-day living.

• biking has always been a good green alternative to burning fuel in order to zip around town. however, two-wheeled transportation is surging as a result of cities providing more accommodating infrastructure.

• cities all over the world are networking together through the c40 cities climate leadership group to see and advise about solutions to climate challenges. there are currently more than 90 cities whose city practitioners learn from each other about implementing sustainable actions.

6. animals and plants are getting off the endangered list.

the endangered species act recognized that diversity in our natural world is important for the continuance and survival of our ecosystems. with the driven effort of conservationists in combination with the policy, these plants and animals are a part of a longer list of species that have been taken off the endangered list in the past few years: whooping crane, eureka valley evening primrose, snow leopard, hidden lake bluecurl flower, yellowstone grizzly bear, and lesser long-nosed bat.

luckily, we may have found the hero to this problem — and you would’ve never seen it coming. click on the story below to learn about how the research project of recent college graduate morgan vague may help combat our plastic waste:

as i took the path to becoming a scientist, i spent the majority of my time investigating miniscule details of those why’s and how’s that began my journey. but as i dove deeper into learning about what keeps the redwoods and critters going, i was also immersed in a community where science, and more importantly, scientists are not to be politically opinionated: neutrality kept the science pure and focused. and it made sense. but then it didn’t make sense.

when i look at redwoods now, i no longer just see the beauty of these tallest trees, but also that redwoods store more carbon dioxide than any other tree. it’s amazing capabilities include:

• ability to have one gene produce multiple characteristics to survive in various environments 

• tall structures to build crowns optimal for photosynthesis

• decay-resistant heartwood

so when there are threats to redwoods, i am no longer saddened solely because of the potential loss of beauty, but also because of the cascading effects it’ll bring to the ecosystem. the long and normalized divide between science and politics have completely separated the people who are making decisions on our environment from the factual information regarding it. you see, politics, while having no informational connections, are as rooted together with science as it is with history. whether it be economically (due to future changes in our access to resources) or socially (with dangers to our health), the future is predicted by science. so when we separate science from politics, the decisions on how we treat our resources and our land are not backed up by the many decades of work went into helping make that decision a right one.

today, the war on science is reaching an inflection point as the mass effects from climate change become apparent. it is no longer just strayed polar bears on melting ice caps some 3,000 miles away. it has become the raging fires, resulting from unprecedented periods of drought, that is covering the once blue skies of california and oregon with ash and smoke, the toxic algae blooms in lake superior due to warming of the water, and the worsening hurricanes increasing in numbers. as scientists, writers, artists, or politicians, we have the responsibility to recognize this and see the action items needed to make the future possible.

standing here today as a scientist and a member of society hoping to see again the awe and wonder of our planet in the future, i recognize that i am as responsible for the authenticity of my science as i am to know its purpose in the world. science should no longer shy away from the politics and be solely directed to other scientists for future discoveries.

take the study of invertebrate fossils for example: through them, we see the story of how marine ecosystems were affected by climate changes over the course of the last 12 million years. that story in turn warns us of how deforestation and continuing usage of nonrenewable energy may deplete the availability of seafood due to ocean acidification. it is not that seafood is an enjoyable meal for many, but that it sustains over a billion people on earth that should alarm us into making sure political decisions based on this science.

masked underneath all the details and jargon, science has a story — one that is much needed to be told in our current state. now is the time to summon our inner lorax and be the storytellers of science for our planet, our future.