Stop Putting the Pressure to Save the Planet on Our Kids

When it comes to caring for our youth, Whitney Houston said it best: I believe the children are our future / Teach them well and let them lead the way. 

But some time between the release of her hit “Greatest Love of All” and now, we’ve lost the plot. Looking back on what has been one of the hottest, most calamitous summers on record, it seems none of the adults in charge are acting with enough urgency or courage to tackle the crisis in front of us. We’re clearly not teaching the children well, but we’re still asking them to lead the way—out of a crisis they didn’t create. 

With our kids about to go on holiday break, I’m reminded of Greta Thunberg’s ‘School Strike for Climate,’ when she skipped school every single Friday for 251 weeks to protest the Swedish Parliament. Her activism spurred the so-called Greta Effect, a term for her massive impact on attitudes and behaviors around the world.  

For example, this past Earth Day, activists across the U.S. held more than 200 protests to call on President Biden to end the era of fossil fuels and declare a climate emergency. At the same time, demonstrators in Kenya demanded their government join the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, while other marches took place in Jordan, Sweden, India, Togo, and more. 

These actions had one major thing in common: They were led and primarily attended by youth. 

This activism is as important as it is impressive, but it also raises urgent questions: Where were the protesters’ parents and teachers? Or any of the adults who care about them? And why does it keep falling on children to fight these battles? 

Since these events have taken place, both temperatures and emissions have continued to rise. Negotiations for a globally-binding treaty on plastic waste have stalled. And no country has policies in place that are compatible with limiting global heating to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. 

It’s us—adults—who have the material and political power to make systemic, lasting change, and we’ve been failing spectacularly at seemingly every opportunity. So, as a parent, I cringe when I see posts on social media that say “The kids will save us!” or hear commentary about “how admirable” teens’ activism is. 

Don’t get me wrong: It’s important to empower kids. One day, they will be in charge and they will have more tools at their disposal to solve our most pressing issues, climate among them. Key word: will. 

That’s not to say kids don’t have any power, of course. Heck, from filing successful lawsuits against governments to building grassroots coalitions, young people have made a lot of waves and scored some serious wins for their future. But imagine the change we could all make if the adults in their lives pulled their weight. 

As far as I’m concerned, saving the planet is a family affair. Whether you’re the teacher or parent of the next Greta Thunberg, or just looking to set a positive example, here’s what to do instead. 

 Keep up the political pressure and exercise your right to vote. 

Adults who are in a position to vote and influence policy must do so now. Youth groups like the Sunrise Movement have been advocating for years for a Green New Deal, a sweeping piece of legislation that would include protections from disaster, access to healthy food, and a right to clean air and water. It’s one of many comprehensive proposals that have been introduced. Another example is the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, introduced last October, which would phase out single-use plastics and shift the burden of waste management from taxpayers to plastic producers. Voters must put pressure on their elected officials, both locally and nationally, to turn these proposals into law, whether it’s through direct advocacy, canvassing their neighbors, or writing letters to their representatives. 

It can be easy to feel disillusioned with the government, but good things are still happening in city halls, statehouses, and the halls of Congress. Take New York State as an example: Last spring, they passed historic climate legislation that will scale up the state’s renewable energy production. It certainly didn’t fall out of a coconut tree! Coalitions like Public Power New York fought tirelessly for years to help pass this legislation through grassroots campaigning and meetings with state legislators. 

Model small changes for big impact. 

As students return to their classrooms, parents and teachers can model the importance of individual actions for climate impact. Our lifestyle choices, whether we like to think about it or not, are contributing to the gradual decay of the climate. A tool I recommend is the UN Carbon Footprint Calculator, which allows people to see their personal impact based on the transit they take, the foods they consume, the waste they accumulate and more.  

Several lifestyle-focused movements, like Plastic Free July®, are helping millions of people be a part of the solution for cleaner streets, oceans, and communities through small changes I like to call ‘eco-swaps’. For example, Tru Earth, an organization where I serve as VP of ESG (environmental, social and governance), produces laundry eco-strips® in recyclable packaging that serve as an alternative to bulky, single-use plastic laundry jugs that inevitably end up in landfills and oceans. Many people making small changes, together, makes a big difference, and it sends a message to our kids that all is not lost.  

Less ‘doomsaying,’ more ‘doing.’  

Inaction and pessimism are a dangerous combination—and they feed off each other. The ‘doomsday’ pessimism of the climate crisis is having an outsized effect on young people. A 2021 study found that over half of people between 16 and 25 thought that humanity was “doomed” because of climate change. When I read that, I was heartbroken, but it also made sense to me. What do you expect to happen when you tell children they have no future? 

As the school year begins, it’s crucial that parents and educators alike avoid defeatism when talking about climate issues with young people. Kids are far more likely to take pessimism more seriously than adults, because they don’t have the perspective to take these comments with an appropriate grain of salt. According to conservation psychologist Susan Clayton, parents should shift the way they talk about climate because the world isn’t doomed. In fact, defeatism can get in the way of teaching young kids that there are actually actionable steps they can take, such as healthy eco-swaps like composting scraps or using reusable water bottles. 

If you’re raising a climate activist, fill their cup. 

Recent data shows people working on the frontlines of the climate crisis are burning out. Especially for young people, who are protesting in front of their city hall or canvassing their neighbors about climate legislation, it can be isolating when the adults around them don’t understand how they’re spending their weekends and evenings. 

As our kids gear up for another year of learning, let’s also ensure that they have the emotional and physical support they need to continue their activism sustainably. Let’s not just be bystanders who tell them how great they are doing, or how important the work is for their future. Let’s join our children in their efforts, stand beside them at City Hall, and take action together. By embodying hope through our own actions, we can instill it in our kids and ensure a brighter, more sustainable future for all. 

Anita Spiller is the Vice President of ESG for Tru Earth, a B Corp certified organization with a critical cause to make true lasting change that helps save the planet, as well as a parent, environmentalist, and United Church minister.