Today is a day of transitions. At 9am I boarded a sleeper bus in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and at some point tomorrow morning I’ll disembark in Laos. It will be a long journey.

The Land of Smiles lived up to its namesake: the scenery is stunning, the culture and history rich, the food delicious, and the locals kind and welcoming. I thought it would be hard to match the genuineness we experienced in Bali, but Thailand was equal to the task. Having visited the south, central, and northern parts of the country, it’s easy to see its diversity. From pristine beaches to chaotic cities to lush mountain forest jungles, Thailand is an adventure.

As I’m crossing the border into a new land, I think about what I’m experiencing here versus what’s happening back home. Super Tuesday is well underway, and its results will impact November and the next 4 years. People sighed in resignation when voting for Hillary in 2016, and will do the same for Biden this year if he wins the nomination—will the Democratic Party ever learn? The GOP has proved much more nimble and adaptive over the last several years. Ironic, given their respective liberal (usually leaning towards progressivism and openness) and conservative (usually favoring the status quo and tradition) ideologies.

I ponder these things because the elections matter. Despite what the media proclaims, I find it hard to believe Biden can defeat Trump in November. Fatal acceptance won’t increase our dismal voter turnout rate. Only passion and conviction will do that. And this matters because the election in November will affect way out here, somewhere in the forests and fields between Thailand and Laos. Climate change does not await the results of the election. It’s happening now, affecting every Super Tuesday state, as well as the communities where I am. The implications of this election are on a global scale. We are all one species living on one rock; what one subset of us decides to do in one corner will impact all the rest. When I get off this bus in Laos, the pollution from forest and trash burning doesn’t magically go away because of an imaginary line in the dirt. It’s past time we understand this. We can change the world, but only if we act as one.