Greta Thunberg Leads Youth in Fight Against Climate Change

by  Tamar McMillan-Zilberman | Illustration by Zohar McMillan-Zilberman

Everyone who cares for their life should care about climate change. Climate change or global warming is a worldly problem that is threatening life on Earth. 

A picnic table floats in rising water that caused flooding in a park. (photo by concordmonitor.com)

There are many children activists that are fighting against climate change and they can make a huge difference. With others help and continued protests climate change will hopefully become a thing of the past.

Global Warming has been created by the world’s emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) which is slowly melting the world’s ice and heating the planet. Research by the UN Climate Change has shown that between 1880 and 2012 the average global temperature rose by 0.85°C/33.53°F and since 1979, 1.07 × 106 km² of ice melted per decade.

We have activists like Greata Thunberg to help raise awareness about climate change.

Greta Thunberg, age 17. (photo by biography.com)

Greta Thunberg – Her Childhood:

Greta Thunberg is an activist fighting against climate change. She was born on January 3rd, 2003 in Stockholm, Sweden. She grew up with her family, Melana Ernman, Svante Thunberg, and Beata Thunberg. She first heard about climate change at the age of 8 and couldn’t understand why people weren’t taking action, so she did. In an interview by BBC News she said that her parents were “as far from climate activists as possible,” until she made them aware of this issue. From persuading her parents to be vegan to convincing her mother to stop flying in planes Greta is trying her best to take action against climate change.

Greta started her protest in Sweden in August 2018 when she was 15 by skipping school and holding a sign in front of the Swedish parliament stateing “Skol Strejk for Klimatet!” (School Strike for the Climate!). In an interview with Times Magazine, Greta stated: “We can’t continue living as if there is no tomorrow, because there is a tomorrow”! 

Fight!

Greta Thunberg has continued her fight and in 2019 she really got the world’s attention. She addressed heads of states at the UN, talked with the Pope, confronted the President, and was featured in interviews. On March 15th, 2019 Greta protested and insprired 4 million people to help fight against climate change. TIMES Magazine claims that she turned “Middle of the night anxieties into a worldwide movement”. Greta has been able to raise awareness about climate change to the world and caused an attitudinal switch throughout the world. 

Research by the UN has shown that even if greenhouse gas emissions stop the effects of the emissions will continue for centuries to come. But with global awareness people can stop still stop emissions for time to come.

Greta Thunberg and other young activists protesting on the streets to raise awareness about climate change. (photo by cnn.com)

Together

Greta Thunberg isn’t alone. She and other activists have been working together in their fight against climate change by organizing protests and filling the streets with people who care for their planet. She and others have helped to inspire millions to come together and fight for the safety of our planet. Saving the Earth is a job that belongs to everyone. And together we can all make a difference!

Earth art watercolor and collage by Tamar McMillan-Zilberman, Honolulu, HI.

Bibliography:

Link: “Climate Change.” United Nations, United Nations, 2019, www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/climate-change/. Accessed 12 February 2020

Link: Alter, Charlotte, et al. “Greta Thunberg: TIME’s Person of the Year 2019.” Time, Time, 2019, time.com/person-of-the-year-2019-greta-thunberg/. Accessed 12 February 2020

Link: Photo https://www.biography.com/ 

Link: Photo  https://www.concordmonitor.com/

Link: Photo https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/28/world/youth-environment-activists-greta-thunberg-trnd/index.html

Link: Photo https://www.internationalcongressofyouthvoices.com/

Link: Asmelash, Leah. “Greta Thunberg Isn’t Alone. Meet Some Other Young Activists Who Are Leading the Environmentalist Fight.” CNN, Cable News Network, 29 Sept. 2019, 9:53, www.cnn.com/2019/09/28/world/youth-environment-activists-greta-thunberg-trnd/index.html.

Link: Weart, Spencer. “The Discovery of Global Warming.” Global Warming Timeline, Jan. 2020, history.aip.org/climate/timeline.htm.

Greta Thunberg and other activists protesting

on the streets

Greta Thunberg, age 17

 Photo By biography.com

by Tamar McMillan-Zilberman

Tamar is a 6th grader at S.E.E.Q.S. (School of Examining the Essential Question of Sustainability). Lover of cats. Tamar is a self-motivated seeqer of knowledge who doesn't quit till the job is not only done, but done well! She will be very happy to hear your feedback.