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S5E3: You Have a Role in the Climate Movement

We all have different roles in our lives -- you could be a sibling, parent, student, educator, someone at some kind of decision making table... All these roles are interconnected and we all have our own specific ways that we can contribute to the climate movement. So what's yours?


In this episode, we'll be exploring the roles and responsibilities that different stakeholders hold in the fight against the climate crisis -- specifically, we'll be examining the roles of youth activists, environmental educators & students, and politicians.


To talk with us about the role of youth in the climate movement are youth activists Allie Rougeot and Irene Lam who are both organizers with the Fridays for Future Toronto branch.


To talk about environmental education with us is Dru Harrison, who has tons of experience as an environmental educator with the New Hanover soil & water conservation district in North Carolina.


Finally, to chat with us about the role of politics in the climate movement is Heather Taylor-Miesle, the executive director of the Ohio Environmental Council. She has had experience working at the forefront of environmental politics and previously served as an Capitol Hill aide working on energy and natural resources issues.


Guests (in order of appearance): Allie Rougeot, Irene Lam, Dru Harrison, Heather Taylor-Miesle


Hosts/Reporters: Matalin Bloomfield, Caroline Chen, Marissa Sims


Audio Editor: Katherine Li


Music: Cali by Wataboi, Awakening by Wataboi


TRANSCRIPT:


KATHERINE:

Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Operation climate podcast made by young people for young people, where we break down climate issues through conversations with cool people and learn about how we as young people and students can take action in the climate movement. Today's episode is another one in our young people, our Climate Leaders series where high schoolers from around the US and Canada created their own podcast episodes about the climate. Today's episode was created by Madeline Caroline and Marissa, and they brought to you an episode about responsibilities in the climate movement. We all have different roles in our lives. We could be siblings, or parents or students or educators, or people at a decision making table of some kind. But we are a very interconnected community and we all need to work towards fighting the climate crisis in our own ways. So in this episode, we're going to explore the different roles and responsibilities that different stakeholder groups hold. Specifically, we'll be looking at the roles and responsibilities of youth in the climate movement of students and educators and the role that environmental education plays. And then finally, the roles and responsibilities of politicians and politically engaged citizens.


MATALIN:

Hi, my name is Matalin and I'm an intern with Operation climate. I'm currently a senior at Hoggard High School in Wilmington, North Carolina.


MARISSA:

Hi, I'm Marissa Sims. I'm also an intern with Operation climate. And I'm from defiance Ohio, where I'm a current senior at Fairview High School.


CAROLINE:

And I'm Caroline Chen, and the third intern working on this episode you're hearing today, I'm from Ontario, Canada, and I'm a rising freshman at UNC Chapel Hill.


MARISSA:

So Caroline, how are you feeling today?


MARISSA:

To be honest with you, waking up to the news of severe flooding in China, and Jeff Bezos going to space. I feel a bit frustrated. Ever since I realized that the future in my lifetime is going to be inseparable from the impacts of climate change. I started to make tough lifestyle changes and join multiple local advocacy groups. But sometimes, when headlines like these takeover, it just feels like my individual actions are making a difference. We all know who the real culprit is. I'm sure you can somewhat relate to my climate anxiety.


MARISSA:

I definitely know that feeling. You're doing a great job at being an activist in your own community. Sometimes it can feel like the actions that you're taking in the climate movement aren't making a big difference. But in reality, every action matters. In this episode, we're going to explore what is your role in the climate movement. We invited guests from different stakeholder groups. We have youth activist from Friday's for future and environmental educator, and someone that has worked on federal climate legislation.


KATHERINE:

First and foremost, the climate movement is a really unique social movement because it is primarily youth led youth around the world has been using their voices to advocate for concrete climate policy, and it is making a difference. First, we're going to be exploring the role that Youth Climate activism plays in the climate movement. And to help us explain this, we're going to be talking with Ali Rougeau, and Irene lamb who are both organizers from the Friday's for future Toronto branch.


So we're just wondering, what role do you think that activism plays, especially youth activism in fighting against the climate crisis?


ALLIE:

To me Youth Activism, especially the most recent one has kind of enabled a few things. The first one is really pushing it to the center of the agenda. And going away from the idea that environmentalists or an interest group and the youth because we united around a youth voice and not an environmentalist voice. All of a sudden, it's become a topic that everybody kind of had to get engaged with, because who's going to ignore what the young ones are saying we kind of pose it as a non environmental issue, but really, as a as a people centered issue. So I do think that was a huge aspect that we brought forward. The second one is I think we brought a lot of open mindedness, a lot of thinking outside the box, and a lot of challenging the assumptions. So I think we refused as a movement to focus only on carbon emissions, for example, and instead, we said no, but we also asked for indigenous sovereignty, or and also racial justice. Oh, and we can add more because we can and so you know, we didn't just say, we have to be humble in our demands, we kind of went for it, because I think for us, it's a survival mechanism. So we're just kind of pushing for it. And then the last one, I think, is just the tremendous amount of energy. Obviously, we're young people, and I think we don't necessarily have money, we don't necessarily have a lot of freedom. However, we do have energy and, and voices that can be loud. And so I think that's also what we brought in. It's just kind of a new flow of energy that to re energize the whole ecosystem of people that have been working on these issues for years.


KATHERINE:

So building off of that question, why do you think this Youth Activism movement needs to exist? In what ways does it interact with other decision making stakeholders like governments and corporations and older generations,


IRENE:

everyone has a part in like climate movement, this climate crisis does not really exist in a vacuum. There's other socio economic crises, that a lot of other people are affected by as well. So whatever capacity or whatever contributions that you can make towards the climate movement is always really welcome. And like I was saying before, I found that activism really helped me with my climate anxiety, if anyone out there is feeling hopeless, or despair, joining a local group, finding your community, no matter how old, there's always a variety of groups out there parent groups, adult groups, youth group, there's always based for you in this climate movement, the more people that we can gather, the more we can mitigate this climate crisis.


KATHERINE:

So in this episode, we're exploring the theme of taking responsibility in the climate movement. Do you think that we all have a responsibility to be activists in some sort of way?


IRENE:

Yeah, for sure. So a common belief that I have noticed in my circles outside of that activism, is that a lot of people believe that someone else will save the planet, well wait for these businesses and these corporations to do something about it. However, recently, all these small victories have been followed by seemingly never ending huge setbacks. And this just shows that we can't wait for these businesses and governments to do the right thing in regard to climate change. Every single person putting in the work, no matter how big or small, to be a leader in your daily life with what you buy, you use when you choose to boycott protests, lobby and vote for everyone has, like I said before, has a place in this kind of movement.


CAROLINE:

Totally, I can totally relate to your feelings. Just sometimes I feel like, Oh, my individual effort doesn't matter. It's not gonna count if I don't use the plastic bags like and to my understanding Friday's for future mobilizes individually demand policy changes from government, how can individuals evolve from making lifestyle changes to contributing to larger scale, systemic changes? And do you think they're equally important?


ALLIE:

Well, I'm glad you're asking the question in two pieces, right? Because the first one is, we need to fundamentally be convinced that there is one that matters more than the other. And I think what we don't suspect is that there's big corporations that have an interest in telling you that what your role is, is to be a good consumer and not a good citizen. Because they what they thrive off is being able to sell you more products that are more green or more this or more that they don't thrive of you speaking to your elected official and together coming and you know, taxing them more or holding them accountable. So obviously, you have to keep in mind that that question, it comes up often, and it's not random that it keeps coming up is because someone is trying to oppose our answer, which is collective mobilization matters most concretely, what an individual can do is, I always recommend this, think about all the roles you occupy in your life, you're probably a daughter or a son, you're probably a sister, a sibling, a friend, maybe a partner, but you're also part of a union, you're possibly part of a school institution, right? You have all these roles. And I recommend looking, listing all these roles on a paper if needed, and then circling the ones where you know that you have a trusted voice. So I know at my dinner table with my family, I am a trusted voice. But I know that if I go to the Walmart shareholders Association, I'm not a trusted voice. And so where I start, my activism is where I am the trusted voice. Because whatever I say will have way more effect. And so you start there. And then once you've solidified your messaging, once you've accumulated the people around you that also want to mobilize, then you go to the next circle where you're a little less known, a little less trusted, and you kind of build off from there. You can't start by trying to be on national TV, trying to tell someone to do something that is just not credible. And it's going to sound like you're just lecturing people. So really, really think about who you are. There is no universal checklist of how to become an activist, but there is a series of steps you can take and I think the first one is figuring out which will is the one for you.


KATHERINE:

Ali and Irene really showed that Youth Activism is an important part of the climate movement. Youth bring new energy to the movement and challenge their leaders and members of their communities to think about solutions to the climate crisis in new and creative ways. So how do we go about equipping those young Climate Leaders to go and do their thing? A lot of people would say, environmental education, which is what our next segment is going to be about, and to talk with us about the role that environmental education and educators play in the climate movement is Drew Harrison, who works at the New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District in North Carolina, and has tons of experience as an environmental educator there.


MATALIN:

In this episode of the podcast, we're exploring the theme of taking responsibility in the climate movement. What are your thoughts on how students and educators should interact with the idea? Does everyone have a responsibility to be educated or educate themselves on the climate crisis?


DRU:

I think the answer to that is yes. If you want a place to continue to live for yourself and generations to come, then it's your responsibility to take action, whatever you're comfortable with, as well as try to encourage others.


MATALIN:

I remember personally when I was in elementary school, doing some work with salt, water conservation, and making posters and poems, and we planted a tree or elementary school. And I think it's just so much more refreshing than sitting in a classroom reading a textbook, because being really out there with what you're learning about is a different experience. And as you get older, now that I'm in high school, I do feel an increasing sense of hopelessness, because it's been such a long time since I've been privy to that kind of education firsthand. So I really think that spreading that message is great for youth.


DRU:

And it's a challenge for teachers to because they are put under such stress and pressure and so many things that they have to do for integration test and check these boxes and nobody can fail or you don't get a raise that and, you know, it's hard. It's also hard to teach advocacy, regardless of what the subject matter is. I think that's a disconnect with today's youth in general work, learning how to advocate for themselves and their own needs. They have to have that basic skill set before they can advocate for something else. And that's not that's not one of the boxes you check in school. It's more very subject factual oriented. You know, like, you hear people say all the time, why did I not learn how to balance a checkbook in high school?


MATALIN:

Do you ever feel like teaching that type of subject matter is polarizing?


DRU:

Definitely. And it depends on what they've heard in the news. It depends on how educated or involved their parents are. And it depends on their socio economic class as well, it's really hard to convince someone that doesn't know where their next meal is coming from, that they need to save the planet because they're worried about saving themselves. I can't say as I blame them, there's also a disconnect in the fact that a lot of educators are primarily Caucasian. And I think I would have a hard time listening to someone that did not look and act like me to do what they told me to do. So there's some dots that definitely still need to be worked on to be connected. Now, if you can tie together food deserts and raise gardens and how to raise them properly without polluting the water, and then provide food for those that need it. There's the full circle.


KATHERINE:

Dru pointed out the current public education system isn't perfect at giving kids inadequate environmental education, and a lot of things could be improved. From smaller scale actions like giving teachers the resources and support that they need to teach about environmental education, to broader systemic issues, like addressing the racial disparity of environmental educators in the US. Education is a powerful tool in the climate movement. Now, let's bring this all together and move on to our next segment, which is about the role that politics plays in the climate movement. Climate Policy can affect the amount of renewable energy we use, the energy efficiency of our buildings and appliances, and a lot more. So politics are really important to talk with us about the role that politics and politicians play in the climate movement is Heather Taylor measley, who is the Executive Director of the Ohio Environmental Council. She's had more than 20 years of experience working at the forefront of environmental politics and previously held key aid positions on Capitol Hill working on Energy and Natural Resources issues.


MARISSA:

You've had extensive experience in advocating for environmental issues in politics. What have you noticed about politics in the US that fails to adequately address the climate crisis? What are the biggest barriers that prevent climate legislation from being enacted?


HEATHER:

One of our biggest impediments is really investing in education, and teaching our kids and even our adults to really innovate, right? Because because some of these problems are, are way too big, and, and people are moving way too slow. And so some of the some of that we need to unlock that that slow movement. And I think it's happening, that youth taking part in politics has been one of the most powerful things that we have seen, young people right now have the biggest opportunity that they have ever had to make their voices heard by making sure that they are a voting bloc that can demand action on a whole host of issues, right? It's not just climate, we need to be improving our society in a whole bunch of different ways.


KATHERINE:

So do you think politicians have a moral responsibility to care about the climate when making their decisions?


HEATHER:

I mean, they definitely have a moral responsibility. And let me tell you in Ohio, they are failing. What we're seeing are people who have abandoned the the morals that I want to believe that they started out in politics, in order to move away from the market where the future is heading and what's best for their communities. And so they have an absolute responsibility to act. How can we have a complex conversation that is about what's best for our community long term. And so those politicians have a moral obligation to be part of that discussion. And we should demand the lesson.


KATHERINE:

And building off of that, I think an interesting point of discussion is how the actions and stances of these politicians on the climate are often dictated by their political party. So an interesting question is how did this partisan divide come about? And how do we navigate it?


HEATHER:

That's an interesting question. And I think it's actually a fundamental question. There are a lot of reasons why this has become partisan. But it all starts with money. And money in politics, and especially dark money in politics, has really demonstrated over and over and over again, to be anti innovation, to be anti community. And, and really anti long term thinking to live in a society. Right, you can't have sprinter thinking, you really have to have marathon thinking, because it's kind of it goes back to indigenous communities I worked for a bit with with indigenous communities on cleanup of Native American lands. And I was always struck in these conversations, that they're the way that the tone in which they talked, was always so long term facing, you know, it's the seven generation kind of role for them, like, how is this going to affect people down the road? And, and I think that the people who are going to be most successful in ensuring that their communities are healthy, are really going to be those who have that kind of thinking. But whenever you're only concerned concerned about your next election, you don't you don't think that way. And so I think that, that what has happened is those who stand to make a buck, or who are making dollars right now and don't want to have to change their business model. You know, I think that that those folks are, are really fighting. And what we have seen over and over and over again, is that influx of a lot of money, we're not talking about a little money of a lot of money is is really creating a situation where we're setting, you know, communities up to fail and so many different circumstances. And that's why we can't depend only on government tax that we must demand businesses act and others act. Our mayors, city council members, those who are closest to the liberal community, are acting as well.


KATHERINE:

what would you tell young people who want to get politically engaged in the climate movement?


HEATHER:

And it's so imperative that young people go vote, because right now they're like, Oh, the young people don't vote, they don't care. They don't get any money. So we can just ignore them. All they're going to do is tweet at us. Right? First, that's powerful. Please continue to tweet, please continue to call them out. They deserve to be called out. But by showing up, and then completing that cycle of saying, This is wrong. And this is what I'm going to do about it. Right, organizing those marches, continuing to talk to the press continuing to stand in the gap and be bold. What I love about what's going on with young people is that y'all got nothing to lose, right? I just I love how you're like, let's do it, right let's change everything. And and you know, that's gonna be incremental. It's important that we do that in a thoughtful manner. But that boldness causes people to think differently and to think bigger and to maybe be in more problem solving mode. But if you actually start to demand it for your voting and demonstrate your power, where where it really counts in that ballot box, there's no way we ignore.


MATALIN:

After speaking with stakeholders from the Youth Activism, education and politics sectors into the parent that the responsibility of climate action falls on more than just one person or organization, it is easy to get into hopelessness in the effects of climate anxiety. But like today's interviewees, instead of pointing fingers, it is important to understand your personal responsibility. Irene, Allie true and Heather use their individual platforms and area of expertise to accomplish something meaningful to them. This shows that every individual is just one piece of a larger puzzle. So if you ever feel that your contribution means nothing, realize that using what you have to do what you can, may be more meaningful than you think.


KATHERINE:

Thanks so much for tuning into this episode of Operation climate. Make sure to subscribe on Spotify and Apple podcasts to stay updated about future episodes. to also keep up with OC activities. Make sure to follow our socials, we are @Operationclimate on Instagram, @opclimate on Twitter and @Operationclimate on Tiktok. For a full transcript of this episode, and links that you can explore to learn more about this topic that we covered today, head to our website at bit.ly/operationclimatepodcast and we hope to see you next time!


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