Two artists, Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, created a time clock in Manhattan’s Union Square to show an estimate of how many years Earth has left before its carbon budget is depleted due to current emission rates. 

The display shows two mind boggling statistics; the first is referred to as “the deadline,” and the second is referenced as “the lifeline.” It is important to note that on the display the deadline is red, and the lifeline is green. This simple use of color was put in place to show the importance of how serious of a matter climate change is and how little time the Earth might actually have left.

The deadline demonstrates how long it will take for Earth to burn through its carbon budget. The lifeline tracks the percentage of renewable energy resources being used. 

In the article posted by The Washington Post about the climate change time clock, the author stated “For Earth to survive. Carbon emission must be reduced — and time is running out.”

The Washington Post article was very eye-opening and has led to an increase of interest in practical steps individuals can take to better the environment. 

The artists are now challenging cities to install their own time clocks.

Golan explained that although different areas have different roles, we all share the same timeline. 

Pensacola has faced many issues this year so far regarding the environment; the most recent being Hurricane Sally.

Hurricane Sally has left a devastating impact on the environment. According to NewsBreak.com, 32,706 cubic yards of debris have already been collected just in the city of Gulf Breeze alone. 

Organizations around the city of Pensacola have realized the severity of the state of our world regarding the climate. This has pushed them to spread awareness and share helpful and practical tips on ways to look out for the Earth’s atmospheric conditions.

Keep Pensacola Beautiful and the University of West Florida’s Student Environmental Action Society are just a few of the many organizations in Pensacola willing to take a stand. 

Many clean-ups are held by Keep Pensacola Beautiful that serve as a great way to come together and provide Eco-friendly improvement with your community. 

“As a Keep America Beautiful affiliate, we aim to improve the quality of life in Escambia County by addressing common environmental challenges,” said a member of Keep Pensacola Beautiful. “Currently, our efforts are focused on education, litter reduction and recycling initiatives.”

The Student Environmental Action Society at UWF is a volunteer organization open to any UWF student, regardless of one’s major. 

They strive to educate not only the campus, but the community on environmental issues by participating in various volunteer opportunities. 

Although different, both of these organizations share a common goal; to better the environment in hopes to literally save the world.

Based on the time clock created to open the eyes of the people, our world is depleting fast. 

It is our job as residents of the Earth to take a stand and take care of the beautiful world around us. There are so many resources available to us if we would just open our eyes.

Organizations like Keep Pensacola Beautiful and SEAS at the University of West Florida are eager to have new people come alongside them and support the cause that they care so passionately about.

Aside from joining a group or organization, an individual can do his or her part by slightly changing the lifestyle he or she lives out everyday.

Some practical ways to do so include, but are not limited to: recycling waste, using reusable water bottles instead of plastic, turning off lights when they are not needed, and running electrical appliances only when absolutely necessary. 

Terry Swearingen, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner of 1997, once said “We are living on this planet as if we have another one to go to.” 

We cannot continue this downward spiral we call climate change. Instead, we must take a stand and do our part because the world is counting on us.