Fresh Young Voices To Save the Planet
If you despair at modern media and politics, here are some fresh new voices, fighting for environmental justice, and educating the public on the truth, and how to help. Modern news programs seem to be obsessed with economic growth and Donald Trump, here are some more hopeful and positive solutions.
Joycelyn Longdon campaigns for tropical forests and is the founder of climate in colour. Her book Natural Connection illuminates the wondrous awe of the natural world and how environmental action can help.
She tells stories from the Chipko women of India (the original tree huggers) who combatted deforestation) to women who fought fossil fuel extraction in Nigeria.
As the world seemingly falls apart, we have to begin the process of re-imagining and rebuilding. It is all that we can do. Be part of the rebuilding effort. Join the climate and environmental movement! Joycelyn Longdon
A Big-Hearted Book to Tackle Climate Change
Climate is Just the Start is a guide to tackling the planetary crisis by Mikaela Loach, a big-hearted and optimistic book to inspire young people to change the world.
Using personal stories, she explains the climate crisis, and writes about friends around the world who are being affected, and how they are fighting back.
Her stories (including confronting fossil fuel executives and even taking the UK government to court, for handing taxpayer money to oil and gas companies) are sure to inspire.
Mikaela also wrote It’s Not That Radical, an anti-doe to the whitewashed and greenwashed mainstream media’s response to climate change, which always focuses on capitalism due to bias and money from TV ads.
Capitalism requires there to be someone at the bottom to exploit from. It require inequality. How is that we already have so many solutions to the climate crisis that don’t compromise human rights or justice? But the only solutions being seriously considered are the ones that do? Mikaela Loach
A Climate Justice Activist from Uganda
Vanessa Nakate is a climate justice activist from Uganda. She gained recognition after expressing concern over high temperatures in her country, seeing first-hand the resulting floods, deforestation, starvation and extinction.
A devout Christian, she says ‘the world’s biggest polluters are asleep at the wheel, ignoring the Global South where the effects are mostly felt. Read her book A Bigger Picture.
Having dominion over the Earth is about responsibility and service to the planet and its people, because God is not a God of waste and exploitation. Vanessa Nakate
It’s a harsh reality that the most vulnerable (particularly those in poorer countries) are likely to bear the brunt of climate change, even if they contribute the least to it.
We see ourselves as something separate from Nature. We see our financial system as something outside of Nature. We see our energy system as something outside of Nature.
Nothing is outside of Nature. We would be wise to remember this. Vanessa Nakate
The American (speaking truth to power!)
If you’re absolutely terrified at the thought of President Trump drilling in the Arctic (sending polar bears extinct), bringing back plastic straws into law (saying ‘paper straws explode’) and appears to be eroding environmental laws by the minute, there is hope!
Jerome Foster II (he’s from the USA – we know Americans include Canadians!) is an environmental activist and the youngest-ever White House advisor, who held weekly climate strikes at the front gates of the White House for over 57 weeks.
This young man sounds ambitious – could he in a few years?! Let’s hope so!
I envision a world where we leave oil, coal and gas behind entirely. A world where we restore ecosystems and absorb carbon from the atmosphere.
And when we look back, the ’20s’ will be remembered as the Green Age – the decade when we chose sustainability, equity and justice over destruction. Jerome
Jerome’s partner (Walthamstow-born Elijah McKenzie-Johnson is a visual artist) focuses on themes of climate justice, and has spoken at the Houses of Parliament and House of Lords.
He has recently been involved in the (successful) campaign to stop a new coal mine being built in Cumbria.
A Young Environmentalist’s Book of Conservation Tips
A Young Environmentalist’s Book of Conservation Tips is a lovely book for young readers, presenting the facts on carbon footprints and climate change clearly, with easy solutions to help.
Each letter from A to Z contains a lesson, on how to help improve our planet, for ideas way beyond recycling. Beautiful artwork assists the reader, to imagine a better future.
Decrease your carbon footprint with these 26 tips to become a better environmentalists and improve your lifestyle.
The book begins with Sarah Lazarovic’s illustrated ‘Buyarchy of Needs‘:
- Use What You Have
- Borrow
- Swap
- Thrift
- Make
- Buy
Use no-dig gardening to protect wildlife (and avoid netting). Learn more on pet-friendly gardens and wildlife-friendly gardening.
Avoid facing indoor foliage to outdoor gardens, to help stop birds flying into windows.
Robert Donisch is an outdoor educator and teacher, who decided to use his knowledge and experience, to write an inspiring book for young readers, on how to help the planet.
Stories from Young People on the Climate Crisis
The Children of the Anthropocene is a beautifully written book, with stories from young people at the heart of the climate crisis.
This book is by Bella Lack, who is kind of like England’s answer to Greta Thunberg. Still in her teens, she has already co-founded a conservation charity with free classroom resources.
Bella is one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met. Bella and her fellow young voices are the best choices our planet has.
I’ve seen Bella bring a theatre full of academics and conservationists to tears, and then to their feet. Bella believes she can change the world, and I believe her. This is a remarkable and important book. Steve Backshall
An urgent, thought-provoking, and beautifully written book from a brilliant young conservationist. Extraordinarily moving, wild and engaging. Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland.
Bella Lack is a young conservationist and environmental activists, who is also ambassador for the Born Free Foundation and Jane Goodall Institute. Often called ‘England’s Greta Thunberg’, she helped to create the People’s Manifesto for Wildlife.
Habit, greed, vested interests…But I still don’t understand how people would put that above protecting the environment, above protecting future generations.
Like, on a superficial level, I get it. But it’s short-termism. People looking at how they might profit in the next month… What’s the point in profit on a dead planet?
An Inspiring Young Voice for Animals
Genesis Butler is an inspiring youngster from the USA, who focuses on environmental and animal welfare, inspired by her uncle (civil rights leader Cesar Chavez), a Catholic Mexican-American who combines his faith with world views and was instrumental in the grape strike that resulted in better laws for farmers.
She went vegan age just 6 and her organisation has helped to fund many local farm sanctuaries. Genesis currently heads the Youth Climate Save Movement, focusing on animal agriculture’s impact on climate change.
I think my generation is just so amazing, with how we have been using our voices. And I think that a lot of us are realising our plan is on the future.
I’m vegan for animals, because they deserve to live in peace, just like we do. Strength in numbers, people! Let’s all work together to build a kinder future. Genesis Butler
Upbeat Youth-Led Environmental Organisations
If you feel aghast each time you watch the news or mass media, then there is hope. In the spirit of researching this post, we turned on BBC News channel. It’s truly awful.
The stories are depressing, not really relevant to most people, seem to be obsessed by what Trump is saying on his social media page, and not much else.
Let’s turn off and move on. Here are some fantastic organisations doing good for the world. And they are all led by people who are likely half your age! More power to you – we’re following right behind, and have your backs!
- The Iris Prize is an annual award for young people who are accelerating action to protect and restore nature anywhere in the world. There are three prizes, awarded to established, existing and not yet existing projects.
- Earth Minutes is a new generation of creatives who are using writing and social media to get the word out, on environmental issues. If you think about how archaic and out-of-date conventional media is on such important subjects, this is much more hopeful!
- Re-Earth Initiative also offers grants for environmental youth-led projects.
Make a Difference (in a messed-up world)
Be the Change is a guide for young readers, from activist Rob Greenfield. He’s walked around New York City (dressed in his own garbage), cycled (three times) across the USA on a bamboo bike, and survived for one year on foraged food.
Rob Greenfield (find a free teacher’s companion guide to the book) used to work in marketing, before deciding to simplify his life. Named the ‘Robin Hood of modern times’, he gives his media income to grassroots non-profits, so he does pay tax to pollute or buy weapons.
He gave up his affluent lifestyle, and cycled across the USA on a bamboo bike, drinking water from fire hoses and eating food from dumpsters. He gives away most of his income, so he pays no tax (to avoid funding weapons).
How he changed his life is quite inspiring, and maybe inspires others to do the same. He basically decided he was nowhere near living the life he wanted.
So he made a huge list of over 100 changes he wanted to make, then hung it in the kitchen, and made one positive change each week, so he changed his life completely in 2 years.
From eating more fruits and vegetables, cooking his own food, finding zero-waste alternatives to drinking filtered water. He shopped local, bought second-hand and shared with his community.
