When the skies are no longer blue, when the seas are robbed entirely of their wildlife, when the forests turn to ashes, when the mountains crumble from the inside, when the birds drop dead from the sky, when the poles are giant puddles and we can no longer breathe without a mask pressed to our faces, will we still characterize science as a partisan issue?

What originated as an online discussion has recently blossomed into a full-fledged movement fueled by scientists and science-enthusiasts alike. Hundreds of thousands of people across the globe seek to combat recent policy changes by new leadership in the White House which reject overwhelming and urgent scientific evidence on behalf of other matters — matters that pale in comparison to phenomenons such as Global Climate Change.

“Scientists worldwide have been alarmed by the clear anti-science actions taken by the Trump administration,” said Caroline Weinberg, a medical researcher who is helping organize the March for Science. “It has been less than a week and there have already been funding freezes and efforts to restrict scientists from communicating their findings [from tax-funded research] with the public.”

On Earth Day, April 22, this all-inclusive community will march on behalf of the preservation of open scientific discussion, research, and pursuits.

“People from all parts of the political spectrum should be alarmed by these efforts to deny scientific progress,” said Weinberg. “Scientific research moves us forward and we should not allow asinine policies to thwart it.”

Organizers emphasize the movement’s diversity and claim they are all united by a shared love for science, curiosity, and their recognition of the field’s vital place in our society. Marchers welcome people of all races, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, political ideals, nationalities, and socioeconomic backgrounds to combat the anti-science stance of our present governing administration.

“I feel that it’s good that people are standing up for their beliefs and fighting for each other,” said Emma Hocking, junior. “I agree that [the scientific community] should fight for their independence from government interference and for what they strongly believe in.”

The Science March is neither the first nor the last time scientists will protest federal policies that undermine the value of science. Scientists mobilized against the Arms Race during the Cold War, 310,000 people participated in the 2014 People’s Climate March in New York, and Earth Scientists just recently took to the streets in San Francisco during the Annual Geophysical Union meeting in December 2016.

“Society isn’t happy with the way things are,” said Rachel Kirkolis, junior. “I think that the Science March is just another protest to bring a point that science matters and is important.”

We cannot afford to characterize science as an issue we can sweep under the rug and forget about. The evidence is not going away. Climate change is an existential threat, and it will only grow more fatal if our current administration fails to establish evidence-based policies.

“Science is something that needs to be progressing constantly,” said Taylor Brown, sophomore. “With the current leadership … this could mean eight years of no progress. We’ve waited way too long to get involved with climate change, and we don’t have four or eight years to lose.”

The March for Science, while a protest against academic injustice, also exists as a way to encourage people of all backgrounds to pursue scientific endeavors and to increase the accessibility of the field. It is an essential movement, representing both a worldwide concern for the wellbeing of our planet, and a common desire to uncover the countless mysterious of our world.

“As long as The March remains [non]violent, I think it will be really powerful,” said Brown.

On behalf of the skies, the seas, the forests, the mountains, the poles, and our lungs they will march.