*Ellen Ren is a sophomore at Barnard College in New York.*

In my Environmental Science class in high school, we all were asked to calculate our carbon footprint and how many Earths we’d need if everyone lived the way we did, much like Dr. Case and her consultation with Wren. Besides the startling realization that many of us would need more than one Earth - the US average is five Earths - it illuminates a way to mitigate such footprints.

While many find ways to reduce their carbon footprint by eating less meat or other lifestyle changes, it is crucial to advocate for policies that will achieve emission reductions on a grander scale, starting with support for broad climate legislation. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is a great start - it taxes carbon emissions at the source and returns the revenue as a dividend to American households all while promoting clean air to save millions of lives and drive clean energy to be affordable and accessible to everyone. I urge Senator Schumer to support it, and Gillibrand, who is already a co-sponsor to promote and urge her fellow colleagues to sponsor.