As the environment suffers further destruction at the hands of human industry, C.K.M.’s young activists stress the importance and urgency of the worldwide problem of climate change.
“Climate change is the most important political issue for our generation,” said RJ Czajkowski (‘20).
Libby Reynolds (‘20) said that climate change “should be a more discussed issue in politics.”
These students feel that the government must take action to protect the environment and prevent further damage.
Ultimately, these students would like to see large-scale policy changes to slow the effects of climate change. They suggested carbon taxes, subsidies on clean energy, re-entering the Paris Agreement—an agreement within the United Nations dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance, signed in 2016–and supporting other international climate agreements, and working with China to create groups of scientists to work together to find solutions. However, they believe that they can nurture the movement by rallying the community of Sacramento to make choices that protect our environment.
Throughout their high school years, dedicated students like Czajkowski, Reynolds, and Elli Arzbaecher (‘20), have been involved in climate change awareness and advocacy efforts.
“It’s necessary to discuss how everyone, regardless of their background, can take part. The most effective way is through raising our voices,” said Arzbaecher. “If everyone can collectively call for the creation of solutions and get involved in organizations that appeal directly to politicians and vote for the people who will strive to combat this issue, then we will see the change that we need.”
Arzbaecher and Reynolds attended the Youth School Strike for Climate in March, and Arzbaecher presented a poem about the turbulence surrounding climate change. Arzbaecher also organized to have a table at C.K.M.’s Eco Jam for 350 Sacramento, a local nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to creating a sustainable future and combating climate change, and presented a short speech about the importance of youth voice in the discussion of environmental justice. “I’m currently in the process of helping plan and organize a summer camp to train youth about how to be activists specifically when it comes to environmental justice, and overall I am involved in developing [350 Sacramento’s] new youth team,” she said.
Arzbaecher also stressed the time-sensitive nature of this issue. “We do not have time to brush it under the rug, and everyone needs to have a collective moment where the lightbulb goes off and we realize how harrowing and destructive the coming effects of climate change will be.” She also offered that “finding ways to become active in local groups and to create a platform for your input as a young person and a student is one of the best ways to contribute to the fight against climate change and make sure that the people who will be hit the hardest by this crisis have significant representation in the development of a solution.”
Her action in the climate change movement is only the tip of an iceberg of dedication. She plans to spend the rest of her life “advocating for environmental justice and trying to create the change in policy that we need to solve this issue. I honestly believe that it is my responsibility as someone growing up in the midst of this catastrophe to do something about it, and it would be hypocritical of me to complain about our current leaders’ lack of action without doing anything myself.”
“I hope to student environmental science and policy in college and get to the point where my voice and influence can help create the solutions that we desperately need. I am determined to dedicate my life’s work to guaranteeing a safe future fo our generation and those to come if that’s what it will take, and I wholeheartedly hope that other young individuals with this same mindset will be able to come together and resolve this issue as best we can,” said Arzbaecher.
Reynolds also hopes to spend her life dedicated to this effort. In the future, she said “I would love to do environmental law or some other job related to this issue.” She has begun by creating an eco-club at an elementary school in the area to raise awareness among the young population.
Czajkowski feels that as students aging in the current climatic situation, we have no choice but to dedicate ourselves to the movement in some form. “We have to, because the older we get, the more pressing these issues become.”