Since at least the 1990s, teenagers have been the demographic most concerned with a changing climate and the environment as a whole. Thinking back, it’s not hard to remember various start-ups, NGOs and marketing campaigns that were directed at and often featured teenagers in their marketing. That is because when people are in their teens, they are very receptive, energetic, and usually at their most idealistic. Most teenagers since the invention of the word at least want to try to solve all the world’s problems.
According to a recent article by Bloomberg, the situation hasn’t changed much. Approximately 69% of teenagers around the world currently view climate change as an emergency. It doesn’t go into comparing that with percentages from other times but experience indicates that the numbers would be fairly high. The key of course is channeling that concern into action. In all seriousness, being concerned and angry while sitting at home and tweeting about it probably does more harm than good.
Some have certainly figured out how to channel their energy productively. Plenty of people who grew up in the 1990s are now running companies that have taken the job of caring for the environment seriously. That’s the whole reason for LEED standards, the growth of geothermal technology, more efficient batteries, recycling water bottles into clothing and the list goes on. They’ve helped drive changes in other companies as well. When was the last time you saw a fastfood place with a Styrofoam container? How many different hair sprays contain CFCs? If it wasn’t for people from that generation growing up and converting their concern into productive action, the environmental situation would be much worse. I know, for example, that the local river is cleaner today than it was thirty years ago, and there is less litter lying around locally as well.
So, how can we help encourage other teens to channel their energy productively? One way is to share the stories of people who have made a difference. If people see an emergency before them but no clear way of dealing with it, it is at least as likely that they will be paralyzed by despair as galvanized into action. Telling the positive stories of those who have managed to improve the environment can give hope that something can be done and inspire a new generation to take up the mantle. This is part of the reason some religions have specific saints, to provide examples of how to deal with the trials and tribulations the world will throw at you. Examples are powerful motivators regardless of what you want to motivate.
Another of course is education. But, and this is key, not merely telling people about the climate, but teaching them how to figure it out for themselves. Instead of just telling people how bad things are or might be, give them the tools to educate themselves. Where can they go and find the data for themselves? Show them how to deal with difficult questions by letting them ask those questions and taking them seriously. Real education isn’t creating drones who repeat what they are told. It’s helping people develop their capacity for independent thought. That, plus the energy of youth is precisely how teens become young adults developing out of the box solutions that can have a genuine, positive effect.
Finally, encourage them to take care of the little things. To go out and take care of some of the litter at the local beach. To go to the town meetings on approving a new power plant, or a car charging station. Or to go out and plant trees, volunteer at the animal shelter. Encouraging teens to take care of small local things helps build a real appreciation for the environment and gives them personal experience with making the world a better place.
As a bonus, there is always signing up for TARTLE. Share data on what your local issues are and what works and what doesn’t. That information can help drive positive change in the future.
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