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What can teenagers do to fight climate change?A 13-year-old is looking for advice on fighting climate change. Any suggestions?
An email came in recently from H.H., a thirteen-year-old on a “year long quest to find out how I can make a difference” in the fight against climate change. The email included a list of questions. They’re good questions, so I’ll answer them here as best as I can. And since I have no particular expertise in the advice-for-youngsters field, please add your own thoughts in comments. 1. Is it possible to stop climate change? Not entirely, but it should be possible to stop the worst effects of climate change. The climate reacts slowly to all the carbon dioxide we’ve been adding to the atmosphere. It will take decades or even hundreds of years for the full effects of the fossil fuel we’ve already burned to be felt. So it isn’t really possible to fully stop climate change. But most scientists think it is possible to avoid the worst effects of climate change. We have a short time in which to act. If we can hold emissions down — and then gradually eliminate them — we should be able to prevent the really bad scenarios that scientists are warning us about. 2. Do we need to have a global government to address climate change or does local governments work too? We don’t need a global government, but we do need a global agreement between governments. There is only one climate, so the nations of the earth need to cooperate to reach the common goal of reducing carbon emissions. The good news is that we’ve cooperated before. For example, over twenty years ago, 186 nations agreed to a treaty to address the hole in the ozone layer. Climate change is a much bigger problem, but at least we know what needs to be done. Scientists have been studying climate change since before I was born, but like most people, I didn’t pay much attention until the issue started becoming more urgent in the 1990s. Once I started to learn about climate change, I realized that it’s a much bigger problem than most, because it affects every aspect of the environment and the economy. TerraPass began as a school project in 2004. Since then, of course, I’ve learned more than ever about the causes of climate change and — more importantly — the potential solutions. 4. How has knowing about climate change influenced your life? I spend every day working on climate change, so it’s influenced my life quite a bit! And, like a lot of people, I take steps to conserve energy usage. Beyond those obvious things, here are some other ways climate change has influenced my life: Good (yes, there are some good things): I enjoy working in an area that I feel is important to the future health and wealth of the planet. I’m a science geek, and science of climate and energy turns out to be completely fascinating. I’m also a politics geek, and the politics of climate change are also fascinating — and totally frustrating. These days, I’m feeling optimistic that we’re starting to move in the right direction. So that’s nice. Bad: I wish climate change would go away! I would prefer to live in a world where we had access to cheap, clean energy. But we don’t, so I worry in particular about some of the potentially irreversible effects of climate change, such as biodiversity loss. 5. What do you think is the best way to convince people that climate change is happening? Of course, some people will never be convinced, so we should focus most of our energy on motivating the people who do understand the problem (the majority of Americans) to push for solutions. 6. Can you suggest other sources — media, places to visit, activities to take part in, or people I could contact to help me understand and fight against climate change? There’s so much information available online that I hardly know where to begin. You might want to check out this list of the top 50 green blogs, and find the ones that interest you most. There’s also an interesting study guide related to the movie An Inconvenient Truth. One of the best ways for you to get involved is through your school. Of course, you can also get involved by finding ways to reduce your carbon footprint. You don’t drive yet, so you’re already doing a good job on that front. Perhaps you can find ways to green your home. Update: Via this Grist post, I found this area of the Clinton Global Initiative web site that lists out ideas for “commitments” that young people can take to fight climate change. Lots of ideas in there. 7. Why do you think people don’t believe that climate change is happening? 8. What do you think I should do after I finish college to help save earth? This question is easy: don’t worry about it. Here’s why: You won’t graduate from college for eight years. In eight years, the world will be very different. We’ll have a different government. We’ll have new technologies. We’ll have new laws and new international agreements. No one can predict what the world will look like in eight years, so just study hard and see what opportunities arise. More importantly, what you should do depends entirely on what you like to do. All sorts of people are needed to help fight climate change: scientists, engineers, legislators, educators, entrepreneurs, businesspeople, financiers, activists, and the list goes on. The best thing for you to do is whatever you most enjoy, because that’s where you’ll make the greatest difference. And the only way to find that out is to try out a bunch of different things, talk to people who do work you find interesting, and learn as much as possible. It’s really difficult to convey the sheer breadth and diversity of opportunities available to someone interested in the environment. (See here if you want a taste.) Fortunately for you, this is one question you can put off answering for a few years. Found photo available under Creative Commons license from Flickr user foundphotoslj. Comments
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Here's another suggestion:
Download the "Checklist Toward Zero Carbon"
Copy it. Edit it for your local conditions. Make it your own. Then pass it on...
Just go to www.checklisttowardzerocarbon.wordpress.com
It has many, many, things a 13 year old or anyone else for that matter, can do today.
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Watch how much you are being seduced and conned by ads for nonsustainable products.
Bug your parents and relatives about their habits that are not ecoconscious. Be as conscious as you can in your everyday behavior.
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Start your own carbonrally team to get others involved to join your efforts. Go to carbonrally.com and create a team. Each week, carbonrally sends out challenges for different ways to save carbon. Very cool website!
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As a young person, you have a great opportunity to discuss this issue with adults in your life (or those you can reach through blogs or other public venues). You can say you are concerned about the environment and what it means for your future, and ask them what they are doing to help ensure your future is healthy, safe, and positive. You can suggest actions they can take to help. I think if a young person sincerely discusses the issues, it just might have more of an impact on adults than other adults discussing the issue - it's easier somtimes to ignore other adults, but much harder to ignore a kid who's got sincere concerns about his future and how we adults are affecting that future.
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My name is Willie and I am an 18 year old senior at the Jackson Hole Community School. I had the same question, and wanted to know how I could help combat climate change. My response was a little different. I started a non-profit called "Cookies 4 Climate Change" that tries to give youth the tools to combat global warming, and also focuses on our initiative of holding bake sales to raise funds for "no idling" signs at our schools. We are trying to grow, but it is hard when you're in school. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated, but in the meantime, a positive first step is to go to www.cookies4climatechange.org or to www.cookies4climatechange.ning.com (the green spot)
If you have any more questions, feel free to email me at cookies4climatechange@yahoo.com
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Visit Cookies 4 Climate Change - The Green Spot
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Be passionate. Use all the energy of youth to bring about the world of your vision. Create new norms in your generation, those will go forward, and change will become easier.
If I were to pick one area to encourage you to become active in, it would be marketing. There are powerful lobbies out there using very sophisticated marketing strategies to create focus on where they want our dollars to be spent. As mentioned above, much of it is misleading. Someone with expertise in marketing and media would be in a unique position to assist many facets of this ongoing debate by knowing how the system works, how to debunk misleading media campaigns, and how to advise agencies in creating an effective message which will convince the broader population. Then they will insist that governments make necessary changes.
The changes we need to slow the symptoms of global warming are so extreme, they are not comfortable. If we stopped producing gas engine cars today, and quit eating meat as a main dietary focus, the effects would be monumental in stopping the forces now in motion. But, those changes would cause people to change how they lived and cause financial upheaval. It would take extraordinary efforts to bring about. We simply are not convinced the situation requires our sacrifice. If such changes happen, it will likely take generations, and your generation will be the designer of those changes.
Work with your peers, form organizations, talk to people in green organizations, and write letters. Write to every political figure who has a part in these issues. Let them know that you, and your friends, need changes - and you will be active. You are the voters of tomorrow.
Do not denigrate your efforts. You will become our future CEOs, managers, business owners. You will create the future your friends and, later, your kids will inherit. Demand answers, pursue research, and don't let anyone off the hook. Your efforts will shape the future.
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Become a vegetarian. Something like 18% of CO2 emissions result from meat and dairy production. Eating vegetarian is not only environmentally just, but also economically just: instead of feeding grain to animals to be eaten by those who can afford meat, use the grain to feed the world's starving people.
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They're all great suggestions, and I can tell you're passionate about this. Have you thought about asking the creator of the environment how you could help? God is the creator; and I think it would be wise to ask him about his creation. He has the perfect plan for your life; just ask him and you will have no doubt about what to do with your life when he guides you. God Bless you and thank you for caring at such a young age; I applaud you and know that you will do great. You don't have to wait until after college; you're already doing something about it - caring and thinking how to positively affect your environment. Keep asking, you'll get the answers you need.
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In my county the most famous thing is a beautiful tower. There is a message, the builder of the tower said he wanted to leave the world a better place than what he found it.
I live my life so as to follow his advice, to leave the world a better place.
I know you will make the right decisions in life.
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Don't sell out. Ever. Where have all the hippies gone? Loving mother earth and all that? They sold out. BIG time. Never ever compromise your ideals. It's harder, when you get older, to hold on to them - but do it. Don't Sell Out. EVER.
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Candy, being a vegetarian is not necessarily optimal. Vegetarian or not, you need protein. From some of the analysis I have seen, the CO2 emission, land usage, etc from certain meat sources such as poultry and farm-raised catfish are very similar to plant-based protien sources such as soy and nuts. And of course, sustainable harvest of wild fish and animals can have little or no impact (or even positive impact) if carefully managed.
Minimizing your beef consumption is great for the environment. Cutting out dairy in pork is helpful but less so. Beyond that, you really aren't making much of a difference by swapping one protein source for another.
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You can make a huge first step by becoming a vegetarian- or have an even greater impact by becoming a vegan. But, do so responsibly. Research it, buy, borrow or rent recipe books. A great one is "vegetarianism for dummies". It explains how you can get the full and complete daily need for protein for your body (which isn't as much as they say- depnding upon your age.). So don't believe the hype that you can not get enough protein without consuming meat. Also check out the AFA website as well as PETA. Your next step is check out sites like this one (Terrapass),and Greenfeet, Greendimes, the lazy enviromentalist, union of
concerned scientists, and Care2. If these sites make you passionate about helping the enviroment-then PASS THEM ALONG to others. If you find it hard to take big steps, then take small ones. Even promoting walking or bike riding amongst the people you know (if where you live makes that possible) will have a small but important impact. Every little thing you can change does some good. Wanting to change is a positive move in the right direction. Good for you!
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H.H., Great question. You can do your part to conserve our natural resources. Begin by remembering the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Try not to buy anything disposable (like paper or styrofoam cups and plates). Our business involves sharpening everyday items like knives, scissors, and saw blades. The carbon and steel resources in blades use a lot of energy and resources to produce, so avoid throwing away these items whenever possible. Other businesses like shoe repair shops, and second hand or thrift stores make great environmental sense. You'll be saving money too, and this is a great way to start out in life for your own financial well being. Lastly, talk to the adults you know about what you've learned. We're relying on the younger generation to get the word out!
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H.H., Great question. You can do your part to conserve our natural resources. Begin by remembering the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Try not to buy anything disposable (like paper or styrofoam cups and plates). Our business involves sharpening everyday items like knives, scissors, and saw blades. The carbon and steel resources in blades use a lot of energy and resources to produce, so avoid throwing away these items whenever possible. Other businesses like shoe repair shops, and second hand or thrift stores make great environmental sense. You'll be saving money too, and this is a great way to start out in life for your own financial well being. Lastly, talk to the adults you know about what you've learned. We're relying on the younger generation to get the word out!
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Go to - http://www.earthhour.org/take-action
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the thing is that, in this world of globalisation most of the teenagers want to be big businessman and play with money. But what we dont realise is that emphasis of global warming is not on stoppping industrialisation but to find the ways to get a healthy environment with right technology.
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