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.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”
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’.
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!
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.
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…
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.
Read all of Greta Thunberg’s most inspiring quotes and check out these inspiring women change-makers.
Find out how you can become a climate activist.
Add our sustainable book of the month titles to your reading list – and join our book club!