YOUTH THINK CLIMATE ISSUE NO. 4
•
YOUR SUBMISSIONS Original narratives, essays, poems, artwork, and photography by young people from 5 countries and 9 US states.
JUNE 2022
•
EST. 2020
RIVKA SCHAFER INTERVIEW Read about this teen's take on the relationship between sustainability and climate justice.
Cover artwork by Nina Argel - Respect Your Mother (pg 19)
SUSTAINABILITY EDITION
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
Introduction
3
Our Team
5
Interview with Rivka Schafer
7
Your Submissions
8
Essays & Personal Narratives
17
Artwork & Photography
23
Poetry
29
Actions & Resources
30
Thank You
- 1 -
About Youth Think Climate The Youth Think Climate (YTC) Magazine is a digital, youth-led publication dedicated to showcasing the thoughts and experiences of youth on the climate crisis through a variety of artistic mediums. With the support of Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE), this magazine was formed to build a community within the climate movement so that young people have a space to self-express and develop the belief that they can make change. By placing an emphasis on storytelling and personal narratives, we bring in fresh, global perspectives and encourage youth to reflect on how the climate crisis affects them on a personal level. Past editions have dove into various topics, including climate denialism, climate solutions and climate justice. Each installment displays a plethora of creative submissions, from poetry and short stories to painting and drawing that relate to the current topic of the issue. We also interview people who are currently helping to further the cause of climate change activism and awareness.
This Edition The essays, poetry, and artwork in this edition highlight the importance of sustainability within our fight to mitigate the climate crisis. Some reflect on their anxieties surrounding what our future may look like as a consequence of our current actions and lifestyles, while others outline specific steps we can take to handle the crisis.
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Our Team OUR TEAM Julian Julian is a high school student from Wisconsin. He enjoys playing viola, reading novels, and autumn weather.
Liane Liane is an ACE Fellow from Orlando, FL. and undergraduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She enjoys spending her time outdoors.
Ardra Ardra is an ACE Fellow from Madison, WI. She enjoys volunteering, helping her community, and fighting for climate justice.
Olivia Olivia is a high school student from Florida who loves to paint, listen to music, and write poetry. She joined ACE to work alongside peers in educating others about climate justice.
Marissa Marissa is a high school student from Callisburg, Texas. She loves swimming and animals and hopes to pursue a career in marine ecology.
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Our Team OUR TEAM Evan Evan is a high school student from North Carolina who loves photography and debate. He is current engaged in political movements for both climate change and Asian justice.
Kimberley Born in Paris, Kimberley has spent the past seventeen years living in London, Dallas, and Miami. She has had extensive experience in writing for magazines and newspapers and has won various state-level awards for her poetry. Now living in Florida, she spends her free time reading classics, writing short stories, and listening to music.
Sarah Sarah is a high school student passionate about biology, environmental justice, creative writing, and graphic design. She is the Education Director at the Jewish Youth Climate Movement and a member of her school's Climate Club.
Juliana Juliana is a climate activist from Florida. She loves meeting new people and helping out in her community. She hopes to pursue a career in journalism.
Marco Marco is a youth organizer in Milwaukee, WI where he works to support youth to become leaders in the fight for climate justice. He enjoys playing soccer and rock climbing.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH
RIVKA SCHAFER Rivka Schafer (they/them) is an Orthodox Jewish teen from Teaneck, NJ. They are the Public Relations Director for the Jewish Youth Climate Movement. They love art, nature, and activism and their biggest goal is to change the world for the better.
We do so by organizing climate strikes, lobbying for climate
WHAT GOT YOU INVOLVED IN THE CLIMATE MOVEMENT?
legislation, and climate advocacy. We lead educational
I’ve had a strong passion for nature my entire life, so when I was 12, I decided I wanted to be a marine biologist. I trained and studied for months to become a PADI-certified Junior SCUBA diver. On my first dive during vacation that summer, I was so excited to see the vibrant fish, colorful exotic plants, and to experience the hidden underwater
programs and organize advocacy projects surrounding public policies aiming to enact systemic change for climate justice. Our national leadership board is composed of 30 teenagers and we have around 40 chapters across the country which are part of schools, synagogues, community centers, and regionally-based.
WHERE DO YOU SEE SUSTAINABILITY INTERSECT WITH CLIMATE JUSTICE?
world that I dreamt of seeing for years. But when I dove underwater, I was devastated. The coral patch was white and dead. There were no fish, no plants, and no color. I swam for half an hour before I saw any color. When I came up from the dive and climbed back onto the boat, I started sobbing. It hit me for the first time the irreversible damage we were doing to our planet. I started to do some research and was shocked at the inaction and apathy of the government. I realized then that if the government and the adults were not helping, it was up to our generation to save the world. I went to marches, tried to live more sustainably, and then I got involved with the Jewish Youth Climate movement.
Sustainability can often mitigate the effects of climate injustice but rarely does it solve the problem. Climate change
disproportionately
impacts
marginalized
communities, and thus they are more at risk for climaterelated disasters. People of color are more likely to live near fossil fuel infrastructure, pollution, and flood zones. For people with disabilities, wildfire smoke, pollution, longer allergy seasons, heatwaves, and power shut-offs can impact their
health,
and
disproportionately
even
be
experience
deadly.
LGBTQ+
poverty,
people
gender-based
violence, and houselessness, which are all exacerbated by climate change. Women also disproportionately experience
WHAT IS THE JEWISH YOUTH CLIMATE MOVEMENT?
poverty and are tasked to gather food, water, and fuel, which is made more challenging due to climate change. The
The Jewish Youth Climate Movement is a teen-led
people living at the intersections of these identities, often
organization dedicated to combating climate change and
experience multiple negative effects. The mainstream
environmental injustice from a Jewish lens. Our goal is to
climate activism movement fails to center climate strategy
make climate justice a defining feature of Jewish identity
around those most impacted by the climate crisis. They fail
and to empower the next generation of Jewish youth to
to center marginalized communities, to hear their voices,
build a more sustainable, and equitable world.
and to promote their leadership.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH
RIVKA SCHAFER While people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups call for better stories and strategies, the mainstream environmental movement continues to appeal to, and consists of mainly white, straight, cis-gendered, middle-class, able-bodied people. Climate justice means we disregard the mainstream climate narrative and seek to include and promote the voices of those marginalized groups. Climate justice means that we form our climate strategy by listening, engaging, and supporting those communities, so that we can properly aid those who will be the most impacted. The best way to approach climate change is with inclusion and not sustainability, although it can bring a lot of value into your daily lives.
WHAT ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE TOPIC OF SUSTAINABILITY? The concept of an individual's “carbon footprint” is a misguided idea, and a product of the most successful gaslighting propaganda campaign created by big oil companies to transfer their environmental obligation onto the general population. Essentially, the same companies controlling the narratives around the climate crisis are also emitting the most. Only 100 companies account for 71 percent of global carbon emissions. Yet, they deflect their climate responsibility onto normal people. The propaganda from these companies were so successful that it became one of the main strategies to address climate change in the environmental movement, from reducing your carbon footprint and waste to changing your eating habits. By keeping us focused on our individual lifestyles, fossil fuel companies changed the conversation from addressing systemic environmental damage toward changing individual action, which keeps them in business, and will never be enough to stop catastrophe. That being said, making your lifestyle more sustainable has a very positive personal effect, but if you want to advocate for sustainability and fight climate change to have a more widespread effect, you
"CLIMATE JUSTICE MEANS WE DISREGARD THE MAINSTREAM CLIMATE NARRATIVE AND SEEK TO INCLUDE AND PROMOTE THE VOICES OF THOSE MARGINALIZED GROUPS"
can do so by supporting conservation, contacting your elected officials, attending a rally or march, and joining an activist organization. Climate activism can be scary. It can be terrifying to see how much there is to do and not know where to start. Starting small by making your lifestyle more sustainable is a great way to connect with your inner climate activist, and if you want to have a more widespread effect, spread your wings and don’t be afraid to change the world.
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YOUR SUBMISSIONS
We the people—we the voices of the silenced youth—demand change. Our voices will be raised, and we as a whole will dismantle the inequities that plague our reality. Screaming at the top of our lungs, we will take to the streets, educate our people, and demand what we deserve because the power of our movement weighs heavy in our heart. A single heart unifying us all— powered by our thirst for justice—which will never stop beating. We the people demand to have our voices heard. Read our thoughts on the current climate emergency and keep them in mind as you listen to our pounding heartbeat.
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ESSAYS
PERSONAL NARRATIVES
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- Editors' Choice -
A MORNING IN A JUST RECOVERY ELIANA BERNAT ILLINOIS | 17 | SHE/HER | INSTAGRAM: @PLANET.ARTIVIST
Eliana's piece spoke to me because it shows us what a brighter future could look like. Not only does it offer solutions to our environmental problems, such as community gardens and all-electric public transportation, but it also presents the COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point in our fight for sustainability. It takes a tragedy and turns it into an opportunity for change. Her vision of the future shows us how we can protect our world for ourselves and future generations, which is what sustainability is all about. - Marissa Payne
As I wake up, the sun streams through my window and I
After finishing my breakfast, I’m ready to head off to my
hear birdsong. I look outside and see clear skies—not smog
job. I stand outside waiting for the bus. Like buildings and
from air pollution or smoke from wildfires. Now that we’ve
homes,
transitioned away from fossil fuels and everything runs on
government’s investments in infrastructure and clean,
renewables, we don’t have to worry about unknowingly
accessible public transportation. I only wait a few minutes
breathing in toxins just by living our daily lives.
before the bus arrives. As I climb aboard, I feel a sense of
After I get ready for the morning, I walk upstairs to our building’s rooftop garden. Before COVID-19 hit, community
buses
are
all
electric
now—thanks
to
the
gratitude swell in my heart for everyone who worked to make our world what it is today.
gardens were fairly uncommon, and those that did exist were mostly in white and affluent areas. Now, almost every building and community has one. Since I had some experience gardening, I helped plant the vegetables while others worked on constructing the garden boxes or setting up an irrigation system. I check on the tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and herbs before taking some veggies down to my apartment to make my breakfast. As we recovered from the pandemic, our sense of community strengthened and food systems became much more localized. No longer do we rely on big agriculture corporations to grow our food; now small, local farmers are supported, and most of our food comes from them.
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"FOR EVERYONE WHO WORKED TO MAKE OUR WORLD WHAT IT IS TODAY"
A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SOLVE THE CLIMATE CRISIS CLARA WELLS-DANG VIRGINIA | 16 | SHE/HER When I was eleven years old, I had my first dose of
The world has changed a lot since then. Fast forward to
reality: it was the day I became aware of the climate crisis. I
today, I still lead an Earth club of sorts, though under a
remember feelings of shock, confusion, and despair. This
different name. Five years after the day my climate bubble
story is shared by millions in my generation in communities
burst, I signed up to establish a local Sunrise Movement
all around the world—it is not unique, not purely my own.
hub at my high school in the suburbs of Washington D.C.
A few months passed and I did what many others in my shoes have done: start an Earth Club. My first experience with an Earth Club was at my middle school in the small beach town I used to live in. This club was about as tiny as you could imagine. It was just a few of us, ages 8-12, meeting with one and one aim only to “make a difference.” We called ourselves the Green Shoots Earth Ambassadors,
Sunrise Movement is a youth movement fighting the climate crisis through advocating for a Green New Deal—an American based, larger scale, more organized Green Shoots Earth Ambassadors. Being a part of Sunrise now made sense, seeing that my new home was located a mere 15 minutes from the U.S. Capitol where critical decisions affecting all of our futures are made.
ambassadors speaking on behalf of the Earth. Addressing
I had come a long way from the beach cleanups, bamboo
the issue of single-use plastic pollution in our coastal
straws, and screenings of the 2016 film A Plastic Ocean. You
Vietnamese town, I led a group of 15 students to run a
could say what I’m doing now is more “official,” more
campaign on converting and recognizing local businesses
“impressive,” more “real.”
which committed to use plastic alternatives. We chose to make a difference through doing what we knew, which was directly caused by seeing plastic bags and straws wash up on our shores.
But eleven-year-old and sixteen-year-old me have one thing in common: we wanted to do whatever was in our ability to contribute to the global fight against the climate crisis. It is a “crisis,” after all, not just a “change.” Although the means through which I’m fighting this fight is different, the motivation remains the same. To everyone else in my generation who wishes to take action, the best place to begin is with what you already know. Look around. What questions do you have? What could your family, your school, your city do better? And an Earth Club might be a great place to start looking.
"IT IS A 'CRISIS,' AFTER ALL, NOT JUST A 'CHANGE'" - 10 -
THE CHOICE IS OURS AISHU NARKAR THAILAND | 15 | SHE/HER It's that time of year again, the time when the flood hits.
I wish we’d acted soon enough, before the effects were
The situation always seemed to be more frantic every
irreversible.
year, despite the many floods we have faced. The
The scenario above may sound impossible. However,
continuous screams were deafening. You could see
this could be the result of global warming, with people
people’s chattering teeth, even though half their faces were
attempting to flee their country to escape disasters due to
covered with gas masks—necessary to wear as a result of
rising temperatures, leaving behind what they used to love.
high carbon dioxide emissions. Sweat trickled down our
Our planet is on the brink of catastrophic consequences
necks. Our mouths were dry as sand. Fear turned into
already; imagine what it may be like in 2050.
anxiety. Millions of questions swarmed our heads. The flood seemed like it tore down everything in its way, just
We are the generation who will have to face these
like our hopes and aspirations.
circumstances.
The tumultuous clouds acted like a thick blanket, blocking light from shining on the frightened people, accompanied by a wind cold enough to paralyze you and destroy homes. The droplets of water from the grey sky fell thick and wet, on our dry, peeling skin. Sea water gushed down the streets. It flowed over the cracks of the desiccated fields. We had wished for days that the parched soils would finally be kissed with rain, rejuvenating them and stopping the numerous famines that year because of drought. But everyone knew this wasn’t an occasion for celebration. Instead, it was one of grief. This could be the
We have to act. We have to clean up after the mess left by our elders. We are the next generation. Will we continue to ignore the environmental mess our world is facing? Or acknowledge it and learn from it? Will the overconsumption of fossil fuels take our lives? Or will we live in a beautiful place where clean, green, renewable energy enables us to flourish? The choice is ours.
last time we saw these fields that were once covered with crops, only 30 years ago. The freezing water, tinged a sickly green-brown, slowly seeped beneath the doorways. The water was up to our ankles already. We rushed to grab our belongings as we tried to walk through the soup of furniture which used to adorn our house. I salvaged what might be useful for when we leave our home, forever. Tugging along a large duffel bag half soaked with water, we tried to leave the house, the house that was connected to all our memories. Remembering those times when we didn’t worry about whether we had a tomorrow or not. The days when we didn't have to think about if we would have
"WILL WE LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE WHERE CLEAN, GREEN, RENEWABLE ENERGY ENABLES US TO FLOURISH?"
food, the days of civilization. The days we didn't have to live with agitation and sorrow. All gone, due to our late realization of the impact of global warming.
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FOOD MATTERS:
A CALL FOR CLIMATE-FRIENDLY FOOD ON A GLOBAL LEVEL AYADI MISHRA INDIA | 22 | INSTAGRAM: @KAWAII_HIDOII The global food system has a significant influence on
Food becomes fundamental in discussing the issue of
climate change, and the food served at events like the
sustainability. After all, you can maybe skip the new shiny
recent 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference
car but surely you need to eat. And not just consumption,
(COP26) should aim to reflect this reality. Since the COP26
but what happens after it? Do you leave food and generate
Conference, the climate debate has gathered up steam both
food waste? What about the packaging, the wrappers? All
online and around the world, but we haven't said much on
this further adds to the food consumption cycle we need
the reason for it all: overconsumption!
everyone to understand, and everything you do is part of
We must not only minimize the greenhouse gases (GHGs) we
generate,
which
are
primarily
caused
by
this larger system.
our
It is important to fuel climate action through food that
consumption of processed and animal goods, but we must
is less resource-intensive, where shifting to a plant-based
also conserve natural resources in order to improve our
diet makes the utmost sense. Animal-based food is
own and our planet's health.
responsible for 3/4 of overall food production emissions.
Plant-based foods are widely regarded as having the fewest negative effects. It's critical that we "walk the walk." Offering plant-based foods at events and converting modest habits to a plant-based diet provides a better example for people and groups, which can have farreaching consequences. It's a symbolic sign that we're treating the problem seriously on all fronts. The point is, the money and resources we buy are the votes cast to the future we want. Everything we buy—be it a new appliance, food, or anything one needs—requires transport, processing, and the consequent expenditure of precious energy. Whenever we consume something not locally produced, we import or transport it from far away regions, thereby adding more to the carbon footprint we
If the same land were used to grow crops that are used in raising cattle we can feed four times the people in ½ the time, for ⅓ the price. Not only that, but the units of water used to raise a calf to an adult cow to make a unit of milk is 1000:1. If we all worked together, this water could be used to help regions that suffer from devastating droughts and life loss! It is true, however, that the countries that are not responsible for climate change will bear the brunt of the consequences. The damage isn't limited to climate change. Raw material exploitation is thought to be responsible for 80% of biodiversity loss—the other great environmental disaster of our time—and 85% of water stress (when demand exceeds supply).
generate anyways.
But this article is not to give you guilt and facts, but to show you the urgency of action needed. I believe all of us have the power to change this planet for the better, that we can work towards our own future. I ask you to stand in support of this larger global narrative and build a
"PEOPLE! POWER! CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW!"
sustainable planet in any small steps you take in your dayto-day life. People! Power! Climate justice now!
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VISIONS OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE MARISSA PAYNE TEXAS | 16 | SHE/HER Plastic in our food, poison in our air, chemicals in our
So, why are we still using the linear model? The answer
water—we’ve all read the headlines. It is evident that the
is clear: profits. If a product is long-lasting, then there is no
current system is failing, and there is one question on all of
need to buy a new one, and sales go down. This line of
our minds: what should we do about it? One promising
thinking
solution is called the circular economy.
obsolescence, in which a product is designed in a way that
In order to understand this concept, we must first describe the problems with our current system. Pollution is a multifaceted issue, but all paths lead back to one main
led
to
the
corporate
strategy
of
planned
it must be replaced in a short amount of time, increasing sales. The shortsightedness here is damaging, because on a planet that cannot support life, there can be no economy.
problem: excessive output. Greenhouse gases caused by the
Political and social action is necessary to overcome
burning of fossil fuels, plastic waste from single-use
these obstacles. Environmental regulations such as those
packaging, toxic chemicals released in our factories; it all
enforced by the EPA are certainly helpful, but the state of
comes back to an unsustainable system of production. This
our climate suggests that they are not enough to stop
system, the linear model, involves creating a product, using
corporate greed. Total systemic change is vital to
it for a short time, and disposing of it. Massive quantities of
protecting our planet.
waste result, putting strain on the surrounding ecosystem.
Let’s return to the question: what can we do to help?
In contrast, the circular economy involves creating
As citizens, we have the power to bring change through our
long-lasting products, reusing items, and recycling or
vote, our voice, and our spending. We can elect officials
upcycling products that can no longer fulfill their intended
who are willing to take the climate crisis seriously, and we
use. The goal of this system is to create a closed loop with
must utilize our right to protest when we feel that our
as little waste as possible escaping to the environment. To
leaders are failing to protect our environment. We can also
demonstrate this concept, let’s think about packaging
take action economically, by supporting local businesses
methods. In a linear system, single-use plastics are
who are making an effort to be sustainable. As Mother
considered a cheap way to contain products. Once they
Teresa once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I
have fulfilled their use, they are thrown away. On the other
can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
hand, a circular system would use materials such as mason
By each doing our part, we can fulfill our visions of a
jars, which consumers can return and refill time and time
sustainable future.
again. This diverts tons of plastic waste from our oceans and landfills.
"WE HAVE THE POWER TO BRING CHANGE THROUGH OUR VOTE, OUR VOICE, AND OUR SPENDING"
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STEERING THE INDUSTRY THAT POWERS THE WORLD THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY MARLENE MOSTERT SOUTH AFRICA | 16 | SHE/HER | INSTAGRAM: @METANOIA_THEREVOLUTION “Sustainability means meeting our own needs without
In order to create great change, the industry must be
compromising the ability of future generations to meet
steered
their own needs.” - University of Alberta
technologies becomes a commodity. Green is the new rich.
Sustainability consists of three main pillars—social, economic, and environmental aspects. When we investigate the future of energy and fuel that powers our new-age
a
position
where
using
sustainable
After all, what are numbers on a bank system going to achieve when the earth starts to drown or suffocate by way of its own blazes?
civilization, we need to consider all aspects to find a solution.
into
We are inventors, problem solvers, and entrepreneurs. We are creative, mindful, and powerful. We are possibly the
Many activists around the globe demand we end the use of fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources. I would love to believe it is as simple as that because it would heal our Earth quickly. Governments around the world depend on such commodities to fund their financial growth, which directly influences the state of the country and its resources. Non-renewable energies can be replaced by innovative technology such as biofuels produced by waste or green energy solutions such as wind power, solar power, and others; however, the downfall of this transition
most advanced generation the world will ever know. It is up to us to preserve Earth for human civilization to co-exist with the biosphere and for future generations to come. Sustainability means we will not compromise the needs of future generations to come. To create the impact we need to drastically reduce the rate of climate change, we need to form a global network collectively introducing long-term solutions: an interconnected network of justice in the workplace, justice for the economy, and justice for the earth.
is that it directly impacts the economy. In long term, the investment of clean technology will pay off—but the paced greed of the powers will not decline a thriving commodity, therefore the demand thereof will not be encouraged to decrease despite the fact it might just speed up the sixth mass extinction. My take on this matter is, that to choose a sustainable future in the industry that powers the world, is not by protesting
current
management—there
are
endless
loopholes people in powerful positions can jump through. Rather, we must reinvent the global civilization that has been systematically destroying our planet for decades. It not only affects our ecosystems which are integrated to sustain life on earth but also affects the rural communities who have been exploited of their resources, resulting in unjust living standards and poor economies. The resources we choose today do not only fail the environment, they fail all of us. The system is the way it is and has been manufactured that way through generations. The system is power steered by money. Money drives the world.
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"WE NEED TO FORM A GLOBAL NETWORK COLLECTIVELY INTRODUCING LONGTERM SOLUTIONS"
WE SEPARATE ANONYMOUS | UNITED STATES We estrange these ideas from what they are: sustainability,
environment,
now
vaguely understand from understated news reports is their
buzzwords. Humanity struggles with idea connection but
fault doesn’t act. We can’t just say humanity is in danger
technology, nature, humans, philosophy, are irreversibly
when one person won’t identify with the concept. But take
intertwined. We are built of codes, our brains forming
someone’s long-term access to their home, pets, and beach
philosophies
days
regardless
of
protest.
whether
They're
An individual who is told that something they only
we
see
them.
and
understand
them
as
jeopardized
by
Everyone’s role in life holds a sanctuary for all they
unsustainability…something that was once a detached,
understand, so parts of existence are up to interpretation
distant issue now emerges as a personal threat.
based on the most valuable connections to the interpreter. This decides what we allow—what is sustainable.
To golden moments on beautiful days with good people at risk of early death from the toxins in their terrarium in
It’s generally easier to do good with an understanding of
space. Consequences for unsustainable practices shouldn’t
one’s own influence and what shapes the gears in their
be represented as simple rainfall shifts, or as not all-
mind. For life's sustainability and the future, we must see
encompassing, or on massive scales well off people won’t
things as close to what they universally as possible, not
relate to. Powerful companies spread such madness to
repeating "weather,” “unprecedented” or “government”
shirk responsibility. So many stories still separate money
without
and equitable business from our deteriorating home rock,
giving
functional,
deliberate
definitions
and
possibilities for an efficient world.
food, safety, shelter, happiness. If we keep allowing
Most people tune out of reality when "climate change" is mentioned because those explaining often parrot terms alienated from their meanings. We don't describe the gravity of how oil spells death for rare beauties in nature and life's experiences and what makes fossil-fueled atrocities repugnant besides the event itself. The idea of individual carbon footprints also worsens this disconnect with reality since one who may have wanted to join the fight now hides in the dark in an effort to avoid feeling guilt
disconnects between ideas to wreck our empathy and intelligence, many will still suffer, especially when displayed as nothing more than fiction on TV, or begging pity parties. Something like sustainability is achieved with help from people who perceived a call to action the correct way. Something as simple as background noise, a song change for someone playing music, can influence whether or not someone listens. That's encouragement for anyone reading to this point. And for those people, there is great potential.
for merely living their life, to avoid confronting their “lack of action.” Such action should above all be taken by economic giants who condone such massacres in dying places.
- 15
"IF WE KEEP ALLOWING DISCONNECTS BETWEEN IDEAS TO WRECK OUR EMPATHY AND INTELLIGENCE, MANY WILL STILL SUFFER" -
FURLING FLAMES MEGAN QUINN MICHIGAN | 21 Even though I knew the mushroom wouldn’t run away, I
I was covered in grass by the time I stumbled back to my
crept through the bushes after it. Its cap was unfurled in a
family’s apartment. There was nobody there, of course,
defiant arc, smooth and slimy gills untouched by any living
because they were all at the ceremony. I grabbed my
creature. Not that there were any creatures left in our
backpack that was full of the essentials: water canteens,
town.
power granola bars, fire halting powder, fire resistant hat,
At the base of the bare tree the mushroom stood, a precious gem of life in the middle of a sea of parched grasses and scattered islands of charred trees. A few feet
face mask, gloves, safety glasses, and my graduation certificate. No mushroom provisions, though, like I had been hoping for.
behind, in a dry thorny bush I crouched. That mushroom
I glanced at my desk, where my textbooks from my
was packed full of so much protein that I could make a
town’s academy were stacked—climate, geology, grammar.
whole meal out of it. After taking a sharp breath in, I
I had managed to get a passing grade in all those classes.
exploded from the bush and… I was hanging upside down.
My engineering and construction textbooks were on the
“Furling flames!” I swore. A rope had twisted itself three
floor. Those classes, however, I had barely scraped by.
times around my ankle. The rope tightened as I attempted
My mom had hung my graduation fire resistant dress
to shake it from my leg. I flinched as the rope squeezed my
over my chair, but I skipped putting it on. My grimy grass-
leg even tighter, sending its scratchy strands of nylon and
covered long sleeve t-shirt and pants would have to do.
metal ripping into my skin.
Good thing I was in good shape. My lungs took in gulpfuls
From the tree above me, where the rope was attached, a phone screen descended on a telescoping pole. It flickered and Relo’s grinning face popped up on the screen. “How’d you get a hold of a Diplomat steel-trapping rope?” I shouted, brandishing my fist at her. I’m sure I was a funny sight. Swinging back and forth, red face, trying to punch my competitor on a screen. I should have known that Relo would pull something.
of hot air as I ran through the streets. In the distance, I could see the dancing flames of the Perpetual Burning Forest, or the PBF as we called it. That’s where I would be headed soon, for the first time, and hopefully the last. Any other time, I could take a quick plane flight if I ever needed to come back to our town to see my family. I squinted and saw black dots running toward the forest.
She was one of the other graduates chosen for the science communicator position.
****
Her pre-recorded voice resounded in the dinky patch of forested grassland. “Too bad you’ll be late for the graduation test!” A giggle followed, which made me grit my teeth. My anger turned to despair when a robot voice continued. “The rope will release you to the ground in 5 minutes. You will then be held captive against the tree for 30 minutes.” I sighed and crossed my arms. Diplomat steel-trapping ropes were unstoppable. Everyone knew that. ****
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READ THE REST OF FURLING FLAMES HERE
ARTWORK
PHOTOGRAPHY
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- Editors' Choice -
REWIRING DETROIT: FACING AN ADDICTION TO CARS AUDELINE KURNIAWAN MICHIGAN | 27 | SHE/HER | INSTAGRAM: @AUDIEEK Audeline's submission, while not only one of the most unique pieces of work we've seen, presents a detailed render of how communities in Detroit could benefit from a high speed rail system. The ongoing process of ensuring our cities are sustainable for the future has and will require unique, new solutions that both take into account the people it serves and the environment, something with which Audeline finds a remarkable balance. - Julian Arenas
"This digital rendering section was created for my final studio project in my Landscape Architecture graduate course Metropolitan Design Studio, which is under the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. My project was called 'Rewiring Detroit: Facing an Addiction to Cars.' I chose High Speed Rail as a potential solution to the historically destructive, divisive, and pervasive automobile and highway system that decimated neighborhoods like Black Bottom and Paradise Valley in Detroit, Michigan, kept disadvantaged neighborhoods in previously redlined areas and cut off from other parts of cities, and contributes to worsening urban sprawl. Not only does High Speed Rail create sustainable and accessible public transportation, but it produces many other benefits as well. By elevating HSR above existing footprints of highways such as I-75 in busy city centers, the space below can be restored to native habitat with recreational pathways, which allows people and urban wildlife to move across safely. Breaking away from cars while providing a better mode of transportation and access to green space will allow us to slowly heal our landscapes, our divided cultures, and battered minds." - Audeline Kurniawan
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- Cover Art -
RESPECT YOUR MOTHER NINA ARGEL VIRGINIA | 15 | SHE/HER
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SUSTAINABLE CULINARY AKIO GOTO CALIFORNIA | 20 | HE/HIM | INSTAGRAM: @THE_JAPANESE_VEGAN
"I try to promote a plant-based lifestyle and diet through the art of cooking. Growing up in a first generation Japanese family, I understand the cultural importance of food in culture and communities. I try to retain the authenticity of communal eating by recreating flavors and cooking styles of traditional Japanese cooking in a more sustainable, vegan style. I hope to remind Japanese members of tastes they may have missed living in America while providing a sense of peace knowing their food is healthy for the planet, themselves, and to animals' well being. The dishes [in these photographs are] a vegan osetchi. Osetchi-ryori is a meal prepared to celebrate the New Year, typically prepared in advance so all people, including chefs, have a day off on New Years. Every year, I enjoyed making osetchi with my family as a way to retain culture and maintain family tradition. This year, I was able to convince my family to make our osetchi vegan and was inspired by everyone's openness to the improvised dishes. As a family, all we want is to be supportive of each other and enjoy time well spent while eating good food. I was proud to make a meal satisfying everyone's desires for Japanese food, enjoying each other's company, and doing so in a sustainable way." - Akio Goto
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UNTITLED
UNTITLED
JESSICA GRAY ILLINOIS | 18 | SHE/HER | INSTAGRAM: @JESSICAEGRAY
JIATONG HE CHINA | 17
UNTITLED AMY YANG UNITED STATES | 21 | SHE/HER | INSTAGRAM: @AUTUMNWINGS
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UNTITLED ELLA BOYD BROCKER OREGON | 17 | SHE/HER
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POETRY
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- Editors' Choice -
SWALLOW MEGAN QUINN MICHIGAN | 21
"Swallow" has incredible imagery and writing style—the use of the word "swallow" throughout the poem is meaningful and creative. Emphasizing the devastating impact of pollution and unsustainability, Megan creates contrast between the beauty of the world and toxic smoke. Every time I read this poem, I gain new insights and perspectives, from "wings beat overhead" to "green glimmers of hope." - Olivia
Smokestacks spew ashen gray substance, the swallows lost in the air, the fish choke below as they swallow. Water jumps over pebbles, rushes of excitement. River surrounded in vibrant greenery, dappled sunlight swallowed. Indoors, lazy darkness, images projected, flashes of unnatural light, chemicals fizz in a styrofoam cup. Without question. Swallow. Below the bench outside, rock splashed in green and white, bringing life to the inanimate surface. The lichen clings hard, it can’t be swallowed. Attention diverted, fingers scroll across over a smooth screen. The blue light chews up time, but make sure to swallow. Light pink sky, wispy clouds, welcome the early sun rising above the rolling water that once had it swallowed. The midday sun a flaming tangerine, surrounded by a foggy haze Smoke. Breathe, but the air is toxic, so painfully swallow. Wings beat overhead, with a strength painted in bold black and white over the stillness of the lake split in two, bugs caught by swallows. From my seat I watch the birds, the trees, the people coughing in pain, and down my throat I think I’m choking, can’t swallow. A beautiful world with toxic smoke. But, do I have a choice? I stare Swirling gray slime, green glimmers of hope, a cocktail in my cup. I swallow.
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WE ARE DYING DANI RUZICKI CONNECTICUT | 23 We are selfish. Humanity A species driven by self Improvement? Involvement? Call it what you will: A strive for a drive for a goal. A goal for a better tomorrow, a happier today. A world where we could laugh and play and dream. But the dreams are dying. And everyone’s tired, poor, sick, stressed, starved, hurt, alone. So much crying and lying, Why are we hiding? From each other? They give us anything and take away our everything. More and more and more to fill the void they’ve created, shredding the thing we are supposed to know more than all else; Our one self. "But we are so selfish," you say, dreaming of a better day? But that day has come and passed you see, We are no longer living in a way that can be: Sustainable, Continuous, ever evolving and striving, no timeline. As opposed to creating and thriving, we are wasting and relying on things we do not have and on people who can not be had. We are testing and tearing and breaking and poisoning our home. We have forgotten that our one selves come from those selves. The trees and the bees and birds Singing melodies so sweet the sunlight drips off your cheeks, living their lives so we may live ours.
The birds, the germs, they will survive, This bustling home will not dive into darkness. She will be reborn, like a phoenix from the ashes of our destructive fire. We are all liars Killing the planet, more like killing ourselves. I guess we aren’t very good at being selfish after all. So let’s try something new? Why not be selfless, do for others what no one has done for you? Plant a tree, Save a bee, it doesn’t matter to me, but do something . . . Selfless. If not for others than for you, so your home does not perish, so your love's kids can explore, so you don’t feel the need to implore, could you do more? So we can all cherish this blessing, this home, Our earth. Be selflessly selfish. And watch that seed germinate and grow. Put the cameras away, this is no reality show. It is our day to day and the time was yesterday, so I guess we have officially run out of ways to say: Make A Change.
But the bees and the trees are dying, we are dying.
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THE END OF THE WORLD? KAYLA ANDERSON | WASHINGTON 25 | SHE/HER | TWITTER: @IMBAELA If the Earth is still spinning And the seasons come and go But the bees aren’t buzzing any longer Is that the end of the world? When crops die Because locusts can fly And farmers can no longer farm Is that the end of the world? When the floods come And wash away families Leaving many dead but some alive Is that the end of the world? When great reefs bleach And wither away So fish no longer have a place to stay Is that the end of the world? When weather patterns shift And many freeze Or die of heat exhaustion Is that the end of the world? All of these things are happening now And will continue to get worse If we do not address The climate emergency The world won’t explode Time won’t stop The Earth will keep spinning like a top In our solar system
PARADOX ADRIJA JANA | INDIA | 17 | SHE/THEY INSTAGRAM: @ADRIJA_JANA2004 Who am I If not the morning dew on fresh green leaves? Who am I If not the cherry blossoms on the springtime trees? Who am I If not the blessed snow on the wintry mountain peak? Who am I If not the puff of cloud in the sunny sky-sea? Who am I If not the grain of sand in the desert burning? Who am I If not the cracks in land of the drought torn field-in? Who am I If not the smoke from a forest fire? Who am I If not the quaking of an earthquake dire? Who am I If not the kindness that protects all things natural? Who am I If not the greed that destroys nature causing upheaval? Who am I If not the purest of the pure? Who am I If not a tangled mass of contradictions, and deceptive allure Who am I If not the malevolence that wants to snatch nature's power? Who am I If not the cure to my own malicious desire? Who but me Can protect this all from self destruction?
UNTITLED
But for many Their world is ending Losing loved ones, homes, and security And for many They simply no longer exist Because the changing climate is causing A mass extinction To say climate change Won’t end the world Is a very shallow And self-centered take Because for many The world is already ending
LEXIE MILLER COLORADO | 11 | SHE/HER City lights instead of stars No animals, I just see cars Bright attractions instead of flowers No clean water for the showers Once there was a sea with sand Now all that remains is junk and trash We disregard what nature is worth When will we learn we can’t replace the earth?
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THE FACES OF WORTH STELLA SAGE GERMANY | 19 | SHE/HER | INSTAGRAM: @THRIVE_BYNATURE Assembling in masses and demanding with doubt, though the driving force is still hope. The hope is what drives us and the anger’s our wheel, ever spinning and winning once in a while. When the economy's thriving and stable enough to let nature take a fresh new breath. “It is luxury, you are fortunate enough, to fight for this cause, that we allow you to rise up.” These words all day long, all the speeches and greed. False promises, misinformation and charities. Held by the powerful and the rich, who are mistaken that green paper means worth. All the wealth this world holds, they don’t see it as such. “When clean air’s at the stock market we’ll get in touch.” Sanctions and rules, regulations to sign. Are they a benefit to your pocket or mine? The lord and the lady step out and look down from the balcony, over the street with a frown. The masses are moving and pushing along, chanting and singing a hopeful song. The lord shaking his head and twisting a coin, opposed by the thought of being brought down. Then he laughs it off and shakes his head, “That is one thing, they’ll never get!” “What?” asks his wife and turns her head. “My holdings, the shares and the fortune we own. That is ours and will stay ours alone.” Oh, how wrong are the thoughts of the man with the coin. This is not the crowd's interest, this is not why they’re here. They do not want to be reimbursed in this way. The crowd's common interest and working goal is to help fix this world and to start stuffing holes. There is no difference between the rich and the poor, when it comes to ending the suffering, that this world does endure.
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THE WOMAN IN GREEN STELLA SAGE GERMANY | 19 | SHE/HER | INSTAGRAM: @THRIVE_BYNATURE There sounds a firm knock and a woman walks in, covered in flowers in a dress all green. She nods her head and assesses the room. “This is cotton, there is wood and that’s hay on that broom.” She walks up to the man behind his desk and looks at his gold watch, his furs and the vest. “Very well good sir, what will you give? To you, what are these commodities worth?” The man looks up at the lady who stands and extends to him her open hand. “What do you mean my lady? What do you say? For these things you want me now to pay?” “Indeed, we need something in return, for our work, the supplies, to replenish the taken is what we yearn.” “Good lady, that cannot be done; that is just not how the system is run. How do you think I have gotten so rich? I take and I take, but I cannot give.” “I’m sorry,” the woman said, “then we’ll be late for the next order you have placed. For the grain and the barley, the wood and the pears, the rivers are low and we’re short on air.” “Short on air? How can there be such a thing? I’ve been your customer for so many years!” “Well, I have told you that is not how it works, you’ll pay one way or another, those are the terms.” Suddenly the man clutches his belly in pain and admits: “From your river without paying, I’ve taken a sip.” The woman puts a hand to her mouth and suddenly but silently, she shouts: “You fool, why did you drink from that spot? Didn’t you know that your kind has poisoned the lot?” The man looks up with surprise in his eyes, mixed with anger and a fear for his life. “What is this that I just now hear! You should have told me sooner than this, I would have done something to put an end to it.” “Oh good sir, you’ve had chances. Time and time again, but my advice you’ve waved off with the wind. Heed now that this is your last chance, I will accept your payment now, in advance. Let’s help together, let’s clean up this mess. We’ll make a plan and do our best.” The man, eager, reaches for a check, holds it out to the woman and pleads: “Take it, take it all, without you, I realize, I’m nothing but small.” The woman in green, her expression turns grave, “I’m telling you, you could have saved your faith. Your money, your numbers, they mean nothing at all, they are not the currency to rebuild what will fall.” The man cries out, raises his hands to a prayer and shows her a diamond ring he’s willing to spare. “Please, take it all, there must be a way that this can be resolved!” The woman, taking a rose from her dress, places it in his trembling hands. “I have given you all my love and support, but with the fall of my kingdom it will also be yours.”
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ACTIONS & RESOURCES Action Team Network
Let's Talk About it
Take action on climate change in your community right now! Join or start an Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE) Action Team at your school or in your city now!
Join Action for the Climate Emergency in working to destigmatize climate-related mental health challenges by creating awareness and a sense of community, and building resilience and longevity in the movement through the #LetsTalkAboutIt Campaign
Find out how at https://teams.acespace.org Find out how at https://acespace.org/lets-talkabout-it/
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THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who submitted their work and for giving us the opportunity to share your voices. We would also like to express our gratitude towards our readers and supporters. This publication woudn't have been possible without you. If you'd like to learn more about our magazine and submit your work for future editions, follow us on Instagram @YouthThinkClimate. Sincerely, the Youth Think Climate Team
youth think Climate est. 2020
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