For the people of my generation, climate change is a major concern. As a highly involved member of my school’s beekeeping club, the local pollinators are one of my top concerns when I think about climate change. The shifting temperatures are detrimental to an already suffering bee population, and can cause extra environmental stressors such as shifts in seasonal timing, habitat loss and higher susceptibility to diseases. Aside from not being able to drink my tea with honey in the mornings, I worry about the global environmental impacts of a declining bee population. Bees have been named as the most important species on Earth by scientists. As I like to say, no bees, no trees.

To save the bees, and in turn, our global ecosystems, there are many possible ways in which we could address this pressing issue. Yet, there is one that both leading scientists and economists agree is our best first step. According to a statement published last year in the Wall Street Journal and backed by more than 3,500 U.S. economists, including 27 Nobel Laureates, a carbon fee “offers the most cost-effective lever to reduce carbon emissions at the scale and speed that is necessary.” This same carbon fee is included in the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.

We can understand the problems and the solutions to climate change, but if we don’t take action then neither will Congress. Recently, I became a member of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which is a grassroots, non-partisan organization that helps people to create the political will within Congress to pass this effective, bipartisan legislation. You can find out more at carboncashback.org or take a few minutes to write Congress at cclusa.org/write. This is a collective action problem. One voice alone won’t make a difference, but all of ours together will.

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