It’s no secret that today’s youth are becoming increasingly invested in political and social affairs–especially grassroots environmental activism.
From the creation of Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future movement, which spearheads worldwide climate strikes, to high school environmental clubs–it’s evident that my generation is becoming the face, and voice, of our future and the future of generations to come. But the cherry on top is that we are also called lazy, superficial, and soft (duality at its finest).
Having grown up in a world with virtually unlimited access to information and where the average American teenager’s screen time is climbing toward double digits, I can see how we may be perceived this way. Nevertheless, I dissent.
What fuels our dependency on technology, if not our desire to connect?
Last year I began a position at an environmental law firm, where I reached out to local San Diego high school environmental clubs with opportunities for furthering their environmental education and stewardship. Over a dozen schools happily welcomed the opportunity to connect; we learned from one another, shared ideas, and sought out opportunities to grow.
For the past few years, over two thousand Patrick Henry High School students participated in a walkout for the Global Day of Climate Action. In March, Helix High School visited Henry to learn more about our recycling program in hopes of establishing a similar one on their campus. And in my opinion, one of the most influential initiatives thus far is the student-led SDUSD Environmental Literacy Taskforce. They aim to integrate an environmental education curriculum over the next few years, with content that is created by student representatives from each San Diego Unified high school site.
My generation’s ability to connect makes us resilient, passionate, and most of all gives us hope. When we feel the responsibility of the world, there is always someone our age doing something inspiring, reminding us that we can also be a catalyst for change.
So on this Earth Day (April 22), and all the other days you have left on Earth–set forth and connect! Attend a virtual event, community garden meeting, or climate strike near you. Taking part in something bigger than yourself may feel intimidating, so take a step back and appreciate the people around you. Once you begin, you’ll realize that a movement is just a bunch of people who care for the same cause, together.
Editor’s note: This article was written by Patrick Henry student Abbie Darling. A senior, Darling is the school’s environmental commissioner.
Image courtesy of pexels.com
