Who Gets to Change the World?

Who Gets to Change the World?
by Emi Thomas

     One of the most prominent voices in fighting climate change is not a world renowned scientist, a politician, or even an adult. Greta Thunberg is a sixteen year old girl from Sweden who has made it her mission to teach the world about the effects of climate change in hopes of stopping the damage before it’s too late.

     Starting in August of 2018, Greta chose to skip school to strike in front of the Swedish parliament. Her strike quickly picked up with her peers and others who also felt that something needed to be done about the climate change issue at hand. Before she knew it, Greta became the face of climate change and started speaking out to a bigger audience about what she believes in. That same August, Greta started her own foundation called “Fridays for Future” where children all around the globe can participate in the strike against climate change. The movement has spread all over the world and many of the youth in America are taking part.

Pictured: Greta Thunberg with her sign that translates to “School Strike for Climate”

     A little over a year later, Greta is still making waves in environmentalism. In September of 2019, she spoke in front of the UN with a message about climate change. Angry at how nothing was changing, she told the UN “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing.” Currently, Greta is on traveling in America to speak out against climate change and to meet with American politicians. The most impressive part of her traveling though, seems to be the solar powered sail boat that she travelled across the ocean in for fifteen days because she refuses to fly due to the carbon emissions airplanes produce.
    
     It’s hard to believe that someone so young has already done so much in our world and has impacted so many people. For all her efforts, Greta was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Greta Thunberg is an incredible example to the youth of the world and she proves that if you want something to change, there is no time like the present to change it. Being young does not mean that we can’t do anything about climate change, in fact the future of the world is in our hands. It’s up to us to do something about global warming, and people like Greta Thunberg are leading the way to show us what we can achieve. 

     You don’t have to make huge advances in climate change to be an environmentalist, starting small is still a start. So whether it’s bringing awareness to climate change, carpooling to reduce carbon emissions, or reducing the meat in your diet, just know that it’s a step and that every step counts. So what can you do to change the world in little or big ways? Do you think youth should be at the forefront of global issues? 


Comments

Urvi Vallapareddy said…
I only found out about Greta Thunberg after watching a video of her UN address on Twitter. I was so impressed by her passion and accuracy. I believe the strongest movements have been grassroots that have protested large industries. Moreover, I think Greta and youth have been doing a much better job addressing the climate catastrophe, as more adults seem to be ignorant of the consequences. Ultimately, individual action is not just about using a metal straw or not eating meat, but rather I believe individual action is about encouraging climate friendly policies and supporting grassroots movements to help fight global warming, especially for those who aren't as lucky as Greta thoughtfully states. Urvi Vallapareddy
November 11, 2019 at 6:43 PM
Anonymous said…
Frankly, I find her story to be quite inspiring and motivating, as it shows that people can and do have an impact, and that the individual truly has a voice. Her global campaign has made waves around the world, and she is at the helm of potentially one of the greatest climate-change movements of all time. I hope her message and actions empower so many others to take their own initiative and attempt to prove that we as individuals have not only a voice, but power, too, and that we can change the world if we set our hearts and minds to doing so. Do i think that policy will change in response to Greta’s activism? Absolutely. She has too much support and voice for governments to continue to ignore the efforts she;’s going to.
November 12, 2019 at 6:53 AM
Anonymous said…
This is so cool! It’s so inspiring how someone so young is so aware of what’s going on in the world! I wish everyone could be this willing and active about helping clove this huge issue. Most kids dont really care what adults or other people think about them and this is a prime example of that. I think some of these politicians are scared of admitting their wrong and what their cabinet members would think of them if they dont agree. It’s very important that we have people in this world like her to show everyone, even adults, how to save our earth.
November 12, 2019 at 8:27 AM
Anonymous said…
I believe we need more students in the world like Greta Thunberg. She spoke up for what she believed in so that the future doesn’t involves ashes of humankind. If more students were to rally together and create a pact against the problems that cause climate change and global warming I believe we can make a difference. The world will have to listen if every nation has a representative that speaks for where they live. Yes, some still won’t believe, but if we get the statistics out and become as popular as Greta they will have to listen. I mean who doesn’t listen to students with a passion?
November 12, 2019 at 11:15 AM
Andrew Thomas said…
We need to more ourselves like Greta Thunberg. I think Greta and the younger have been doing a much better job addressing climate issues, as more adults seem to be ignorant of the consequences. Her actions are helping this world as she is fighting against climate change and trying to promote more friendly policies.

-Andrew Thomas
November 12, 2019 at 5:52 PM
Anonymous said…
The thing about climate change is that our ignorance and lack of care can negatively impact not just us, but people across the world who are already struggling from other problems. For example, when we raise the Earth's temperature, the ocean's water rises, which may not affect people living in the middle of land, but for many people living at the coasts, they sometimes have to relocate because of our careless actions. Hopefully one day we will reach a time where we won't have people like Greta who have suffered from climate change.
November 13, 2019 at 10:17 AM
Anonymous said…
Unfortunately, many people think that they can't change social, economic, environmental, or political aspects across the nation or world wide. This leads to people thinking their vote or voice wont count, so they largely just don't do it. However, we can see from the actions of Greta Thunberg that we all can make changes.
November 13, 2019 at 6:15 PM
Rishi Chebrolu said…
Starting small is the best way to build a global movement. Like you said, she started out alone, but then started gathering support and followers from her friends and community. She has a passion and strong will to demand change from old conservative policies and politicians. I've been following her since before her courageous voyage across the Atlantic, and her voice, emotion, and experience has shaped a new generation of activists. Greta has been praised by the world, but many people are still unable to listen to her, for example, President Trump.
November 13, 2019 at 7:00 PM
Anonymous said…
I heard about Greta Thunberg a couple months ago and thought that she was pretty cool, but I didn’t know that she started the Fridays campaign or was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. I feel like the ones who really should be leading the push to help the environment and raise environmental awareness are the people who can vote right now. They are considered adults and politicians and companies tend to listen to people who are old enough to vote and have noticeable buying power. The way people view the opinions of “kids” is the biggest obstacle for us getting our ideas heard.
November 14, 2019 at 7:15 AM
Anonymous said…
I’ve heard of Greta Thunberg and know a bit about her, but it is nice to know context. The one unfortunate thing about her movement is how some people look down on it, and some take Greta the complete wrong way. I’ve seen people on social media who idolize her instead of idolizing what she stands for, which is what she wants. Regardless, I admire her determination to do something incredible for the world and all the people in it.
November 14, 2019 at 5:02 PM
Anonymous said…
I recently saw her appear in the news and was confused why someone our age was speaking of climate change instead of a environmental scientist. I liked reading this article because it made me realize that the idea “one person doesn’t do much” is actually an understatement. Greta is a great example that if we applied ourselves like other students do in many other European countries b starting environmental marches to even suing the government we could rally make a difference towards our own emissions.
November 14, 2019 at 6:31 PM
Anonymous said…
The harsh thing is many people can’t believe that a young teen can possibly change our world for the better, weve always had influencers who were much older than she was. People don’t know how to make a difference until they get hit by a major problem, like China for example, they had air problems for such a long time, now they are aware what actually happens and they try to make it for the better. Greta moving people and informing about the environment is a starting point, many people might not know about this young girl, but once the word is spread and once people can understand whats truly going on it can definitely improve our world.
November 17, 2019 at 7:03 PM
Anonymous said…
The first time I heard of her was when she traveled using a sailboat and people were making fun of her. I love her so much. She tells the truth and disregards the choicefully ignorant "authority". She doesn't care what people think, and if I could be her best friend I tottaly would. It makes me sad that people make fun of her for trying to save the world. She's so little but she's one person who tried her hardest and got where she is now and she is able to spread her message. I just wish she was old enough to get more involved in politics. That's what I hope to do.
November 18, 2019 at 12:04 PM
Anonymous said…
I think it is vital for today's youth to be involved with issues like these because we are the future. Greta not only motivates the adults, but she motivates her peers, and that will help advance the issue for years to come. However, the climate crisis is happening now, and the youth can't vote; therefore, adults need to listen to their children, nieces/nephews, etc and make a change. Having young people fuel a movement like this will create social media buzz, and then people in power will have to listen. I feel that we can participate in marches for the environment and buy products from companies whose morals align with ours. By doing these actions, we can make a change.
November 19, 2019 at 4:26 PM
Adam Yook said…
I think that Greta is an extraordinary person who is making the most out of an extraordinary opportunity. While in today's society it may seem daunting, it is possible to make a difference in world. I think that Greta serves as an example that people should look to for motivation to be a force for change. However, I think that it is not everyone's responsibility to incite global change. Making small changes to your own life and the lives of those around you is just as important.
November 19, 2019 at 7:34 PM
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