※ 아래 스크립트는 발표자의 발표내용을 그대로 표기하였으므로 구어체 표현이 포함되어있고,
I am honored to be here today to deliver this speech in front of you. I am going to tell you about our entire society’s problems rather than telling you about my own future fantasies.
You’ve probably heard about mosquitoes in winter, Earth getting hotter, and the South and
North pole’s ice is melting. But all of these have begun because of one thing, the climate change. In ten years, the climate might be an even bigger problem than today. Even at this moment, the carbon dioxide is blocking the sunlight from getting out of the Earth. It means the Earth is getting hotter and hotter every second.
I wanted to understand, so what? I mean, so how this heat and the climate change can affect us. If the same dry or rainy weather continues in one place due to slow moving atmosphere, the place will have wild fire or flood as we see in the News almost every day. With less temperature difference between equator and the Artic circles, this will cause extinction of many vulnerable species. In the end? Yes, as you know, we all will suffer with hunger in a broken food chain.
Can you imagine the future with famine all over the world? Look around. People go on a diet not to eat more nowadays, but the future? It’s nor that bright. Sorry to be so dramatic. But I believe this is why we need to do something for ourselves. Some may think ‘It’s okay for me to use lots of energy, I mean, it’s just a tiny bit of energy and the environment would not even notice! It’ll do no harm to Earth” But no. You are not the only one who thinks like
that.
However, how we will prevent that? That’s easy, let’s do something from very small we can do! Like, let’s consume our money on companies using environment-friendly energy. If the environment protecting companies and us working together, the speed of raising the Earth temperature will be slower. I mean, just look! We see the proof! Because the coronavirus has struck the entire Earth, companies can’t have their factories running, and with fewer people getting out, the sky is clearer than ever! Air pollution in major cities around world dramatically decreased.
It’s like this, a little grasshopper can’t harm every crop in town, But millions? They can wipe out every farm in the state! Because of collaboration of many people, we could slower the Earth getting hotter.
So, when I grow up, after 10 years, I’m not expecting to be a superhero for me. I will be the environment’s friend. I will work to save the environment. I will not litter things and tell people about the serious situation of the climate. Even though that will be just a small act, it will help saving us.
When I first read the topic, I immediately started to think about my future. But, during the process, it made me think about my past. Then something slowly came to me. I should talk in here about what you do today can affect your tomorrows.
I can tell you this with my history of English. I first encountered English when I was very young. I watched DVDs, read books, and watched educational shows on the TV. It was fun, and I remember I loved watching it. Then, I went to China. I studied English there, too. I watched more advanced videos, and even read more advanced books like chapter books. I watched them just for fun. But I never knew that they will play a huge role in my life.
Because, when I came back to Korea and started to go to elementary school, I was amazed that my English level was much higher than my other classmates. I have learned English for 10 years little by little from my early ages. It made very big change with those who didn’t.
Like I enjoyed learning foreign language in my early age, I want to talk to you that we need to start teaching our children about the climate change. Life lessons of making less greenhouse gasses won’t be a just one time topic for a speech contest soon. I’m sorry that kids should learn about this in their early age. However, not only learning foreign language, but also learning the ways of using less energy will be essential lessons for global citizen in 10
years.
Now, I will end my speech with a question. What are you going to do today? This may seem like a lame question, but, after you hear my story, you will understand why I asked this. Please imagine yourself trying to save ourselves from the Climate Change from now on. In 10 years from now, all of us can make big change together if we just start now. I believe it can change our future! Please be steady with me until 2030 and even more.
Thank you.