Climate activists are not known as an up-beat bunch, especially as urgency to act on climate change increases. Most times, the public sees them protesting in the streets or yelling at a legislator in the halls of Congress.
This is because most young people involved in climate activism are motivated by fear — that we are running out of time to make meaningful climate action. Our leaders and the media have trained them to think they’re on their deathbeds and have no future to believe in. With that sort of framing, it’s no wonder they’re angry and desperate to be heard. For example, a young Zero Hour activist recently told Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) while following him on the sidewalk, “I’m terrified that my family is going to die.”
The deep, intense fear that she is expressing didn’t come from nowhere, as more climate science shows a need to act. We’re constantly bombarded with bad news through journalism and social media. We see photos of cities flooding, forests burning, and polar bears balanced precariously on shrinking ice. So, young people are angry at what is perceived to be complete inaction on environmental challenges we face. Anger and fear have driven climate protests we’ve seen in recent years, but I believe there is a better way.
On this Earth Day, I implore activists, policymakers and climate reporters alike to relentlessly lead with optimism.
The simple fact is that we have a lot to be optimistic about, despite how much doom and gloom seems to be around us. We’re alive at the best time in history to be alive with record-low global poverty, modern medicine and continually emerging technologies that make our lives easier. Even on the issue of the environment, we’ve made significant strides since Earth Day was founded in 1970.
As I wrote last year with my friend Andrew Brennen, young activists were integral in the creation of Earth Day and the activism to clean up our nation’s air and water. The Cuyahoga River in Ohio no longer catches on fire, and air quality in Los Angeles is healthy to breathe. The United States has led the world in emissions reductions, and promising new technologies, like advanced nuclear power, will likely continue that trend.
Of course, you wouldn’t know this looking at mental health statistics from the younger generation. Our perception of the time we’re living in isn’t the same as the reality. This isn’t to callously dismiss the challenges we face, but instead to suggest that perhaps they aren’t as insurmountable as they seem. If young activists previously led the charge on the creation of Earth Day, young activists who are tired of inaction and alarmism can turn the tide today and lead with optimism.
So, how do we do this? Leading with optimism is not the same as naive positivity. Climate change is a serious challenge that threatens not only our future, but our present. We can recognize that without buying into the narrative that there’s nothing we can do. In fact, there’s a lot we can do as individuals to not only advocate for solutions we believe in but actually do the work ourselves.
Leading with optimism is planting a tree in a local park or cleaning up trash from the side of the highway with friends. It’s future-oriented action that betters your community. We all know these actions alone won’t solve climate change, but they will give us a stake in our local environments and remind us that we’re fighting for a future in which our children and grandchildren can enjoy the natural places we have. With activists from my organization all around the country taking part in these local action events, this Earth Day, I’m optimistic.
Benji Backer is the president and founder of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). Follow him on Twitter: @BenjiBacker