Young people acting out of concern for troubled planet

By Breanna Greaney - Year 13, Waitaki Girls' High School

Survival on Earth is dependent on how we use our natural resources in a way that is sustainable and protects our natural environment.

Our addiction to harmful, unsustainable energy sources, such as oil and coal, have detrimental effects on the temperature of our planet. The unsustainable production of products such as plastic contributes to the growing waste problem.

We have been crippling our planet by releasing greenhouse gases into our atmosphere and this needs to change.

Teenagers have been speaking up about these environmental issues more often in today's society. Campaigns like students striking from school to raise awareness of climate change have been broadcasted more often on the media.

If we continue down this path of using unsustainable resources, we may end up living on a planet with increasing natural disasters, extreme weather events, low biodiversity, polluted air and waterways. All of these can have huge effects on public health, wellbeing, the economy, food security and other aspects that contribute to a quality of life. This is why we must take action.

Recently students from around the world have united to speak up about climate inaction. Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish activist, started protesting by striking from school outside Swedish Parliament in August 2018. Her activism has gained worldwide attention and inspired the Fridays for Future and the international School Strike 4 Climate campaigns.

This action has brought environmental issues to the forefront of society's mind but it is still not enough. Effective action to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being pumped into the atmosphere needs to be taken.

The Waitaki Girls' High School's Enviroclub have recognised this and have completed various projects in order to raise awareness for the environment throughout our community and school.

We have done a Junk Jam which was an international event held on the 18th of October in 2018. This event involved making instruments out of recycled materials and making music with people from other countries.

We have done various beach clean-ups, environmental awareness campaigns and have started to sell our own beeswax wraps.

We are trying to put our words into actions.

Environmental activism is empowering as it gives students a voice in this time of change.

Add a Comment