My generation—the millennials—is now as large a bloc of eligible voters as the Baby Boomers, giving us the power to demand real solutions to the most urgent problems facing our nation—but only if we vote.

This is a really critical election, with a lot at stake, especially on the issue of climate change. Climate change is our nation’s greatest challenge—if left unaddressed, it will have devastating impacts on our economy, our environment, our communities and our families.

According to a recent report conducted by NextGen Climate and the public policy group Demos—The Price Tag of Being Young: Climate Change and Millennials’ Economic Future—the millennial generation as a whole will lose nearly $8.8 trillion in lifetime income because of climate change.

Stopping the climate crisis is absolutely critical for young people’s long term economic well-being. A 21-year-old graduate in the class of 2015 earning a median income will lose $187,000 in wealth. You know what you could do with that kind of money? $187,000 could give you 1,588 years of Netflix in HD, or cover 17 years’ worth of rent in Des Moines, Iowa.

Tackling climate change is critical: 2015 was the hottest year on record and 2016 is on track to be even hotter, and by the biggest margin ever. If we lead our country down the dangerous path of Donald Trump towards even more fossil fuel use, the effects will be both permanent and irreparable.

Instead, we can grow our economy, create millions of jobs, and create a healthier, more prosperous society by electing leaders who will tackle climate change and build a clean energy future. That is the future my peers and I want to see.

This election will have enormous consequences for our country and our climate, but young people have the power to decide the path our country takes. Do we want to be worse off financially than our parents and grandparents, or do we want to build a future with a thriving environment and economy that benefits everyone?

As millennials, it’s time we make our voices heard on the issues impacting our futures. We have the size and strength to make a difference—we just need to register to vote and show up to the polls this fall. Our future and the future of generations depend on it.

-By Adriana Kelly, University of Northern Iowa student