How can Washington Youth fight against Climate Change?
People living outside Washington might presume it to be “environmentally perfect”, and green. Olympian citizens might think that even though problems exist, there is nothing much that needs to be done and report an OK situation. The government might delay and deny but the youth of this front-line environmentally vulnerable city must realize the need to act now. No matter how irresponsible and naïve it is considered, generation Z needs to realize themselves as the ‘last generation’ that can curb climate change.
An average US citizen emits 20 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. Climate emergency is upon us and cannot be called a “hoax” anymore. The elders have passed most of their lives, thus it is the youth and the children that will have to pay for these communal actions. There are increasing natural calamities faced by humans in the present days from melting glaciers to extreme seasons, water shortage to pollute oceans, droughts to floods. The climate is warming as if expressing its rage in a revengeful manner.
The notion is clear, our survival is impossible without the wellbeing of nature. Having a look at 2020 alone, humans were encountered with massive fires, extreme weather, and a global pandemic! Do we need another awakening?
The youth needs to ascend against this potential apocalypse. Global teen activist Greta Thunberg and Washington-based teen girls Calle, Mahajan, Thornton-White, and Margolin are leading the way. Mahajan founded “ZeroHour”, an Environmental Justice Organization, while the others are guiding Climate Strikes, attending protests, and arranging marches.
The younger Olympians can make sure the next few years are taken critically to decide the fate of the next many decades to come, they can adopt a planet-friendly lifestyle, take it to streets, demand policy shifts, aware masses, and join hands with civil society. Individually they can keep a track of their personal footprint, build greener homes, conserve resources at hand, chop down GHGs, and erect a zero-carbon planet.
They can join mass mobilization movements such as “School Strike 4 climate” and “Fridays for Future”, work online, start from school, and even take the legal course. Youth plaintiffs from “Our Children’s Trust, Washington” filed a climate case in 2020, The University of Washington Strategic Action Plan is also in practice, and the new government is being welcomed as environmentally attentive. However, there are still countless desperate steps to be taken. Youth advocacy is the key to fight against this global disaster through education, activism, law, technology, and science.
Our planet needs us. We need to start early, and start NOW!