Waiting for significant action to be taken to address the looming “climate problem” seems hopeless. Especially in America, where discussions of the damage to the environment are actively shut down by politicians claiming evidence of human-caused harm is falsified or unreliable. The future appears to be in the hands of people who couldn’t care less, and this is terrifying for the teens and young adults who are set to inherit whatever becomes of the world.
In the face of impending man-made doom, students around the world have begun protesting. If the people in charge won’t start acting, the next generation has decided to mobilize and do it themselves. The School Strike for Climate spread across Europe, petitioning government offices to solicit climate action, and in America, the Sunrise Movement rose.
Though founded in 2013, the Sunrise Movement’s public action picked up with the 2018 elections. They worked to spread awareness of all presidential candidates who accepted money from the fossil fuel industry, encouraging voters to stay away from any politicians who knowingly contributed to harming the environment. Continuing this, even past the presidential run, in February of 2019, fifteen dedicated members organized daily visits to ask Senator Mitch McConnell if he cared to comment on his campaign accepting money from coal lobbyists.
Aside from just spreading awareness of harmful legislators, young members of Sunrise joined Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to launch and sponsor the Green New Deal. The proposed piece of legislature aims for reform to decrease environmental strain and economic disparity. In several cities around the country, the Sunrise Movement coordinated events where they would answer questions about and explain the benefits of the bill to citizens who were interested. The movement regularly participates in environmental events, such as the upcoming September 20th Global Climate Strike, largely led by Fridays for Future founder Greta Thunberg. Their official website is full of smaller-scale events, meetings, and information, easily accessible to anyone worried for the future of the planet and wanting to take action.
“We are ordinary young people who are scared about what the climate crisis means for the people and places we love,” says their website. Their sentiment rings true across the globe. Worldwide, in droves, members of Gen Z and Millennials have stood up to demand attention be paid to the climate. Our generation is deeply concerned about the survival of our planet, and with accessible and active movements such as Sunrise, hopefully change will be on the horizon.
In the face of impending man-made doom, students around the world have begun protesting. If the people in charge won’t start acting, the next generation has decided to mobilize and do it themselves. The School Strike for Climate spread across Europe, petitioning government offices to solicit climate action, and in America, the Sunrise Movement rose.
Though founded in 2013, the Sunrise Movement’s public action picked up with the 2018 elections. They worked to spread awareness of all presidential candidates who accepted money from the fossil fuel industry, encouraging voters to stay away from any politicians who knowingly contributed to harming the environment. Continuing this, even past the presidential run, in February of 2019, fifteen dedicated members organized daily visits to ask Senator Mitch McConnell if he cared to comment on his campaign accepting money from coal lobbyists.
Aside from just spreading awareness of harmful legislators, young members of Sunrise joined Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to launch and sponsor the Green New Deal. The proposed piece of legislature aims for reform to decrease environmental strain and economic disparity. In several cities around the country, the Sunrise Movement coordinated events where they would answer questions about and explain the benefits of the bill to citizens who were interested. The movement regularly participates in environmental events, such as the upcoming September 20th Global Climate Strike, largely led by Fridays for Future founder Greta Thunberg. Their official website is full of smaller-scale events, meetings, and information, easily accessible to anyone worried for the future of the planet and wanting to take action.
“We are ordinary young people who are scared about what the climate crisis means for the people and places we love,” says their website. Their sentiment rings true across the globe. Worldwide, in droves, members of Gen Z and Millennials have stood up to demand attention be paid to the climate. Our generation is deeply concerned about the survival of our planet, and with accessible and active movements such as Sunrise, hopefully change will be on the horizon.