Tackling Climate Change

Introduction to Teen Activism

Presentation for The Art of Living Summer Retreat

August 2016Presented by: and Liza K. Tóth

Prepared by: Julie Wornan, Anna Zotova and Liza K. Tóth, with the help of the Saving Our Planet Team

Introduction to Teen Activism

In the USA, young people have formed or joined

several organizations to fight climate change. Among

them:

Kids vs. Global Warming (now, the iMatter Youth

Movement)

Our Children’s Trust

Earth Guardians

Some important questions:

Please jot down your ideas on these two questions:

1. How do we as humans contribute to global warming?

2. How can we reduce these contributions? What can we

change in our personal lives?

In a moment, we will watch a short film prepared some

years ago by a teenager.

Compare your answers to the ideas suggested in the

film!

Alec Loorz: Young Environmental

Activist

After founding Kids vs. Global Warming at the age of 12, Alec has spent his entire teenage life speaking to hundreds of thousands of youth and adults on climate change issues.

Watch his video for his Kids vs Global Warming presentations.

Alec Loorz and Kids vs. Global

Warming Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ffgR1BxaE

Click image or link below to watch the film:

Alec Loorz

I started this organization called

Kids vs. Global Warming. I made a

little website, developed a

presentation, and then somehow

started getting invited to events all

over the country.

The climate crisis isn’t about money or

power…it’s about our future. My generation

and those to follow are the ones most

impacted by our addiction to fossil fuels, and

so we are demanding that our governments

put Climate Recovery Plans into place for

our sake.

Alec Loorz and Dr. James Hansen:

Learning about climate science

“Now is the Time”

“The time for arguments and delays is over. Climate scientists have shown what needs to happen to avoid disaster. We must all take immediate and meaningful action to shift away from fossil fuels, before it’s too late.”

Quoted from: http://www.imatteryouth.org/

Alec Loorz talks to U.S. Senator John Kerry

about Climate Change

“Our Future is Threatened”

“If society doesn’t change course now, we will grow up in a world

where countless species are extinct, where communities are torn

apart by extreme weather, and where famine, sea level rise, and

resource wars kill or displace millions of people.”

Quoted from: http://www.imatteryouth.org/

Brainstorming!Brainstorm what you can do:

to affect not only your own GHG emissions,

those of their community, region, county,

country and beyond

to increase everyone’s awareness of the

problem

What advice you can give people around you

Write down your ideas. We will share them

with each other before the end of the

session.

Young people take their

government to court…

“We’re demanding that

our government develop

a plan to reduce carbon

dioxide emissions 6

percent every year

starting now.” –

Alec Loorz

Our Children’s Trust is an association formed to use the

courts to protect earth’s atmosphere and natural

systems for present and future generations. The

organization has filed many court cases, claiming that

governments need to do more in this regard.

In one case, young people (“Plaintiffs”) from across the

United States have filed a climate change lawsuit in

Oregon.

On April 8, 2016, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin

ruled in favour of the Plaintiffs.

This ruling is now under review, with oral arguments

scheduled for September 13, 2016.

“The Winning Generation”Young Plaintiffs Invoke Constitutional Grounds

for Climate Protection in Federal Court

The youth plaintiffs after the hearing on March 9 in Eugene,

Oregon. Photo credit: Our Children's Trust

http://www.ecowatch.com/judge-denies-motions-by-fossil-fuel-industry-and-

federal-government-in-1891080131.html

Kelsey Juliana

Kelsey Juliana,

Plaintiff

Alex Loznak

Alex Loznak,

Plaintiff

The Earth

Guardians

are a group

of inspired

young

leaders

working to

defend the

Earth, Water,

Air and

Atmosphere

for

generations

to come.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBm_eXy8fU4

Click image or link above to watch the film:

Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh an Earth Guardian

an activist since the age of 6

feeling connected to the

natural world: the mountains,

forests and rivers of Colorado

raised in the Aztec tradition

based on the belief that

Indigenous people are

descendants of the original

caretakers of the land

also a Plaintiff in the Children’s

Trust lawsuit in Oregon.

[Shoe-TES-ka]

“Transitional Generation”

“We are the

transitional

generation, the

last to be born

into a society

focused on short-

term greed, and

the first to enter

the sustainable

world we know is

possible. All of

us are called to

participate in

this shift.”

“We can hold our leaders accountable, we can start or join

teams at our schools, and we can build a national

movement of young people standing together and letting

the world know that WE MATTER.”

Quoted from: http://www.imatteryouth.org/

Going Forward

Share your ideas from the “i Act” activity.

Write down something you will do differently going forward:

to reduce your GHG footprint

to increase your awareness on climate issues

to share your awareness on climate issues

Earth Guardians Activist Tool Kit Intro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yg0ZA6Dr7M

Click image or link below to watch the film:

Thank you for your

attention!

Please contact us if you need any help

in making your ideas of how to save our

planet come true!