One of the most interesting and controversial aspects of the climate crisis is the question of the individual’s role and responsibility in the fight to save the planet. What can we do to mitigate climate change? To what extent does it affect my life? And, given that we know that the majority of carbon emissions come from large corporations, is it even “my” responsibility?
When “global warming” first started, we were all taught to calculate our own carbon footprint. This concept of personal responsibility was invented by British Petroleum (BP), one of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies. BP hired a PR executive from Ogilvy & Mather to promote the notion that climate change was our fault, not theirs. BP created a “carbon footprint calculator” in 2004 that calculated how we, as individuals, were destroying the planet, and it worked well. For those who took responsibility, it led to a personal quest to reduce their footprint. For those who didn’t care, it provided a way to blame others and avoid serious discussions about solutions.
The goal of taking action to mitigate climate change on an individual level was developed by big oil companies and perfectly designed to shift the responsibility from “them” to “us,” but in reality, there is still a lot we can do to make a difference.
But making us all count our carbon is not the solution. Sure, recycling is a good thing, and refusing to fly private jets (something I’ve never done) is definitely a win-win for the planet. There is another, much better way to inspire collective action. There is one very special community that can tackle climate change head-on, and it’s one of the most powerful in the world: the classroom.
Last Earth Day, I was asked by a large school district to speak about climate education at their event for middle and high school students. As a former teacher, I was excited to return to the classroom and speak to young people about something I care about. We discussed the history of Earth Day and the power of collective action. We looked at current trends and possible solutions to the climate crisis. I encouraged young people to think about how they can be part of the solution, both as students today and as a generation of online leaders tomorrow.
As soon as I finished my presentation about the vital importance of climate education in all K-12 schools, a smart student raised his hand and asked me, ‘I get it, but why should we spend time on climate education when there are so many other pressing issues we have to deal with every day?’ It was spot on, and it made me realize how much I miss the directness of a student question.
It was a fair question, so I asked my students what other problems they considered. Sadly, but predictably, they produced a long list of crises that needed to be addressed: economic issues like poverty and the national debt, social issues like equality for all groups under the law and the pursuit of peace, and ongoing conflicts around the world.
Without intending to downplay the importance of these critical issues, I asked my students what all of these issues have in common, except for space junk. Indeed, one student mentioned space junk, which is that they all originate on this planet, Earth. That became the starting point for our next conversation, which was, frankly, more open and engaging than the one I had planned.
This experience helped me write the report “Climate Education vs. Climate Crisis” for EARTHDAY.ORG. Taking responsibility and taking collective action is do not have This isn’t about shaming individuals or reducing corporate responsibility, it’s about giving the next generation — students — the tools they need to deal with the mess we’ve effectively forced upon them.
If students know what is going on in the world, they will be better able to deal with this reality and counter the waves of misinformation that will undoubtedly come their way.
We know that all of this will have an impact on students. Climate anxiety is real, and there is a wealth of research showing that climate education is the best medicine for it. Secondly, preparing students for a future where nearly everyone must be climate literate isn’t just something environmentalists want. It’s also something that more and more businesses are calling for to prepare young people for a green economy. This is backed up by the World Bank report, “Choosing the Future: Educating for Climate Action,” which outlines the research and data that backs up these claims, including the startling statistic that “80% of global business leaders believe that green skills will be the most important driver of the green transition.”
Another effective form of climate education is to unintentionally cultivate a sense of responsible, earth-friendly behavior in students ages 4 to 18. This builds green muscle memory, embedding a sense of what is good and bad for the planet into every decision students make going forward.
Unlike BP’s cynical carbon footprint, this isn’t about pointing the finger or doing good deeds. It’s about knowing the facts and making the best choices for yourself. My The future. It’s not about false altruism or guilt, it’s about taking a common-sense attitude toward the world we live in and acting on it because it’s the right thing to do.
Since writing our first report, we have produced a free, practical Schools Guide to Climate Change Education , packed with information on the best ways to teach the subject effectively, because our goal is to get climate education in every classroom around the world and it matters to the planet.
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