our future our vision: youth voice on climate change
Wow we're busy on the blog today! Here's an update from Envision, who ran the climate change open space at 2morro. Read on to find out what YOU created at 2morro, and be proud....
Hi Everyone
We’ve gone through all your brilliant ideas and put them together to form “our future – our vision”, a message from young people to the international decision makers meeting this December at the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.
I’m sure you’ll agree this is pretty inspiring stuff. We hope you enjoy it!
Envision
Our Future Our Vision
Young people will…
Lead by example and encourage others to live responsibly and be the change we want to see. We know that we don’t need to completely change our lifestyles but need to ‘try our best’ by committing to the little things. The small things can make a difference and the small changes in our everyday lives help others and the environment without having a negative impact on us. We can make people close to us care about it and inspire adults to care about our future.
Spread the word and get political by joining campaigns and signing petitions. We will keep spreading the message that together there are things we can do.
Make a commitment to reduce, re-use, recycle.
Stop burning as much fuel when we’re out and about by riding a bike and using public transport. We’ll stop flying as much and try and visit places by train or discover the wonders our own country has to offer.
Reduce our energy use by turning down the heating and wearing more jumpers, turning off the lights, watching less TV and not leaving things on standby. Make sure our schools and families do their bit too as both are meant to have our futures in mind and helping to tackle climate change is the best thing they can do to protect it.
Help to teach others, especially younger generations, about the causes of climate change and the sustainable actions that can help to tackle it. This means we need to know the facts ourselves so we will learn more and pass it on.
Consider how far our food has traveled and buy local when we can.
Reduce how much water we waste and pester those around us to do the same.
Think before we do. The easiest way to act sustainably is to think more about where things come from, what they’re made of and if we really need them.
Run our own projects and take action to improve the environment in our communities.
So you should…
Involve us and think about our futures. Become better at listening to the voices of those whose lives will be most affected by climate change. Climate change is not only an environmental issue, above all it is a young people’s issue. Our opinions matter because whatever you decide will affect us.
Make businesses take responsibility. Governments should offer subsidies to companies to use sustainable products and provide economic support for sustainable industries. Tax industries that create pollution and force them to find a way to reduce pollution. Harness the creativity and use common sense to force corporate cooperation. Simple things like all mobile phones using the same charger would mean less waste.
Put money into scientific research to improve on existing renewable energy sources and discover new ones. Commit funding for independent university research.
Commit to reducing carbon emissions. Do this through using renewable energies and not nuclear power and by spending a quantity of money that reflects the vast size of the problem. Put in place recycling systems that are the same across countries to reduce the amount of resources we are all wasting.
Balance the desire for economic growth with protecting the environment and addressing the needs of developing countries. Learn to think of the well being of humanity over profit.
Help people to make better travel decisions. It should always be cheaper to get a train than a plane. Invest extra money in low carbon transport across countries especially rail.
Hold public bodies to account; all publicly funded institutions should have to justify their resource use.
Accept climate change is a crisis, take it seriously and show leadership. Don’t let us be the generation people look back on and blame. Change is about positive action not just positive thought. Take responsibility for your decisions and the future and walk the talk. Act now!
Raise awareness and get the message straight: by using renewables and thinking sustainably we can not just maintain, but improve our lifestyles.
Work together. A unified global policy on climate change would be rather lovely…
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