It seems silly to saddle yourself with guilt for something that hasn’t happened yet. I don’t want to do that. As of today, I don’t really feel guilty. I guess I just want to make sure I keep doing more, so that when you read this, and ask what I’ve done since then, I can still feel good about my efforts.

The beauty and majesty of the world of your childhood is as remarkable as the beauty and majesty of mine, but the fragility of your childhood world is so much greater.

Awareness is key. Learning about this issue can seem like a small effort compared to other actions, but it’s the most important.

I know I need to write this to you, and I don’t want to because it makes me so sad. I have been desperately avoiding my feelings about climate change, for many years, but especially and with greater intensity every year since you were born.

Young people are making a lot of noise and politicians are now listening.

As you’ve grown older, I’ve become increasingly aware that protecting you means more than ensuring your short-term safety. It also means ensuring that you’ll have a safe planet to live on.

It’s never too late to make a difference. Our actions have very real consequences. We can educate ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and take action. We can hold companies like big oil and big plastic accountable for their negative impacts on the environment. We can educate ourselves and others about what causes climate change and what actions we as individuals can take to lower our carbon footprints.

I am so sorry we didn’t realize this predicament sooner.

I will not stop fighting for a more sustainable future, your future.

We need to rethink our consumption habits in order to reduce the impacts on the environment.