Environment

18 and Under: A Generation of Inspiring Climate Activists

By Eco-Age
19.08.19

A new generation of climate activists is leading the way in fighting for the future of our planet. As school strikes take place across the world, we wanted to shout about a few of the students and activists who are inspiring and motivating us each and every day.

Jamie Margolin

Jamie Margolin founded the Zero Hour Movement when she was 16 years' old to redress the inaction of elected officials, bringing young voices into the climate change conversation. She delivered a Tedx talk in June about how patriarchy, racism and colonialism caused the climate crisis and her first book, Youth to Power, will be published in 2020.

This Instagram caption is everything.

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A pic of me in a bikini for @foxnews to use against me when I run for office in a few years ... speaking of which, can I just be President of the United States already?⁣ ⁣ These politicians keep messing everything up soooo bad and Im just about ready to push them out of the way, plop down into the oval office, declare a federal #climateemergency , and get to work fixing everything they ruined! ⁣ ⁣ #YouthToPower

A post shared by Jamie Margolin (@jamie_s_margolin) on Aug 12, 2019 at 6:26pm PDT

Alexandria Villasenor

Since December 2018, the 14 year-old founder of Earth Uprising Alexandria Villasenor has been on strike outside of the United Nations headquarters in New York. Motivated by the Camp Fire in California, her home state, Alexandria told Teen Vogue: “Since climate change will be affecting my generation the most with the trajectory we're on, it's important to try and get action, especially from our world leaders and government officials”

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FAST FASHION = FAST EXTINCTION This week of #climatestrikesummer which is for 8 Fridays this summer, from June 28th to August 16th, @earth_uprising is inviting all climate organizations and #FridaysforFuture movement strikers, to target their Friday strikes towards 8 different sectors of society. Today's strike was against Industry & Corporations. As well as to bring awareness to the damage industries such as fast fashion, transportation and meat are doing to the planet. In New York City, students and our adult allies protested in front of Forever 21. The fast fashion industry is killing our enviroment. The clothing industry accounts for 8% of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions. And did you know - about 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester fiber which is now the most commonly used fiber in our clothing. Fast Fashions consumption of resources like water and oil is projected to double by 2030. This is not okay. We must HOLD OUR CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABLE! #CorporateClimateStrike #ClimateStrikeSummer (photo credit to @theotherlsivadas)

A post shared by Alexandria Villasenor (@alexandriav2005) on Jul 5, 2019 at 6:52pm PDT

Greta Thunberg

In less than a year, Greta Thunberg has become a household name. The inspiring teenage activist began the #SchoolStrike movement, and has since spoken to parliaments and organisations across the world urging widespread political action to reduce the impact of carbon-heavy human activity on the environment. Double the number of children’s books focusing on climate change and the environment were published in the last year thanks to the 'Greta effect’.

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This week over 450 schoolstrikers from 38 countries have met in Lausanne for the SMILE meeting. I’m amazed how much we managed to accomplish in such a short period of time. It really shows the strength of our movement. Thank you everyone for a great time!! #smileforfuture #fridaysforfuture #climatestrike #schoolstrike4climate

A post shared by Greta Thunberg (@gretathunberg) on Aug 9, 2019 at 12:42pm PDT

Fionn Ferreira

Named the winner of the 2019 Google Science Fair, Fionn Ferreira has been busy developing a method for extracting microplastics from water. Living near the coast in west Cork, Fionn was inspired to reduce the problem of plastic pollution. His method succeeded in removing 87% of microplastics from the samples tested. He plans to attend university in the Netherlands - we’ll be keeping an eye on this genius!

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Thank you again to all who made this fair happen. I love the fact that I am now part of the Google Science Fair community. #googlesciencefair

A post shared by Fionn Ferreira (@fionn.ferreira) on Aug 1, 2019 at 3:06pm PDT

Millie Bobby Brown

15 year-old Stranger Things star Milly Bobby Brown is UNICEF’s youngest Goodwill Ambassador ever. Using her platform of more than 27 million online followers, Millie raises awareness around issues affecting youth across the world such as the impact of violence and poverty, and lack of education. She also hosted UNICEF’s 70th anniversary celebrations at the United Nations in 2016.

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Thank you again to all who made this fair happen. I love the fact that I am now part of the Google Science Fair community. #googlesciencefair

A post shared by Fionn Ferreira (@fionn.ferreira) on Aug 1, 2019 at 3:06pm PDT

Isra Hirsi

16 year-old Isra Hirsi, daughter of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, is the co-founder of the U.S. Youth Climate Strike. She’s using her online platforms to raise awareness and address issues surrounding intersectionality, advocacy and justice - while also repping a bucket hat (an IKEA bucket hat, no less!) better than most. Congressmember Karen Bass has already referred to her as a Junior Congresswoman, so we can’t wait to see where she’s heading in the next 10 years…

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these past 2 weeks i have learned all about congress. from caucuses to the floor. and after all of that i can say that members are so kind and the media is so aggressive. i am so grateful for this amazing opportunity to hang around w/ my mom and be a junior congresswoman(according to @repkarenbass). while i have been here for a whole “controversy” it has been interesting to see how my mother fights back and continues to work even when the president doesn’t want her to. ps i can’t do business casual ;)

A post shared by isra hirsi (@israhirsi) on Jul 18, 2019 at 6:15pm PDT

Anna Taylor

Climate activist and mental health advocate Anna Taylor is one busy woman. The co-founder of the UK Student Climate Network has led campaigns to demand more comprehensive education about the climate crisis be provided to students, and has joined the People’s Vote campaign against the “catastrophic impacts of Brexit on the environment” and “[an] intergenerational imbalance where yet again we didn't have a say in a decision that will drastically impact our future.

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Another week, another lying in the road on Westminster Bridge Was great to march with @ofocbrexit at the People's Vote march yesterday - something that ties in very closely with the Youth Strike causes, not only due to the catastrophic impacts of Brexit on the environment but also due to another intergenerational imbalance where yet again we didn't have a say in a decision that will drastically impact our future. Did any of you go yesterday?

A post shared by Anna Taylor (@anna.e.taylor) on Mar 24, 2019 at 12:25pm PDT