The Earth’s average temperature has risen by 0.6°C since the late 1800s (World Health Organization). The change seems minuscule given the time horizon, but even the slightest increase in temperature can have grave effects. Climate change directly affects food production and weather conditions which influence transmission patterns for diseases and infections like malaria. It has already wreaked havoc worldwide as many animal species are becoming endangered with nowhere else to go. With so many warning signs and scientists advocating that the U.S. government should take a stronger position on the issue, it is a wonder why so little change has occurred. A 2019 study by Pew Research Center indicates that the United States ranks 20th in the world regarding citizens’ views on climate change as only 59% of U.S. citizens believe it is a major problem (Fagan & Huang 2019). Given that the government prioritizes issues important to the public, it is no surprise that environmental protection has remained in the shadows of issues more pressing to Americans such as taxation, foreign policy, and more. Nevertheless, the environment has remained a controversial topic as the debate between prioritizing economic success and environmental protection has been a decades-long battle. Due to the lack of prioritization of environmental protection, there has been limited action by the U.S. government and businesses to take steps towards more environmentally-friendly regulations and measures.