Today I woke up away from the group, in a real bed, soft and sheltered in the arms of someone I love. Despite the comfort and ease that I felt there lying, when the cathedral bells of Helena tolled I felt no resistance in leaving. It is the first time in a long time that education has been so inspiring and stimulating that I felt empowered to rush off to the library to discuss the six degrees of hell in climate change, international climate policy, and a speech by John Holdren, the science advisor to President Obama.

Some people were still snuggled into their sleeping bags pre-class time. This peaceful atmosphere catalyzed a safe environment for speaking from the heart. What began as a factual conversation of the necessity of global cooperation and initiatives to curb global emissions, shifted to question the ethical implications of climate change.

What responsibility is attached to the fortune of being born into privileged circumstances, and being given an incredible opportunity to both witness and understand climate change and energy issues at such an intimate level in the context of this course? The problem of global climate change can often be overwhelming when considering rising sea levels, ocean acidity, species extinction, and heat related deaths on ever more massive scales. The fatalist data and graphs can paralyze one just by the sheer weight of the statistics involved.

Sometimes it seems easier to ignore humanitarian responsibility and perhaps create a life off the grid, ignorant to catastrophe and strife. I have felt this way before. Because I was afraid. Afraid of failure, afraid of my own capabilities in contributing anything to make a difference. I don't feel this way anymore. The youth in America in our quality of life are incredibly lucky, as Kady reminded us all today. There is a personal responsibility to make use of our fortunate lives and give back to the collective. Any political scientist can look at the history of isolationism and see the failure of those tactics again and again.

The youth can educate others about global climatic disruption, we can write to the media about the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. The summary of this bill states that it “will create millions of new clean energy jobs, save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs, enhance America's energy independence, and cut global warming pollution,” we can become involved in grassroots programs like A.E.R.O's neighborhood energy conservation clubs. We can help one another make energy efficiency changes and create social networks while doing so. We can reach outward instead of upward.

This is the stance the U.S can take collectively as well, and lead developing countries and the world in legislation and protocols to alleviate the damage that our industries and consumptive society have created.

Responsibility is neither an obligation nor a choice, it is rather a necessary opportunity to reciprocate all that the world has bestowed. The United States has an opportunity. I am not afraid to rise to the occasion; neither should our country be. Independence is valuable, but partnership and collaborations are what truly make contributions on a global scale. Leaving the arms of someone I love this morning was so effortless because I felt empowered about what I was going to learn and all that knowledge I have to give to my community, my state my country.

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