Youth Taking Action: Environmental Activism

by James Bach

category: Young Leaders

Published April 22, 2009 @ 08:53AM PT

Every day is Earth Day for Youth Venturer Chloe Maxmin. In the autumn of 2007 Chloe started Climate Action Club inspiring students, teachers, and administrators at her high school to change their behaviors and school policies to be more environmentally sustainable. This success led Chloe to start a community wide initiative as well as launch a website to inspire and support other young environmentalists. We spoke with Chloe about her work and asked her for some advice on how you can be a successful environmental leader in your own community.

In your recent initiative "Paper vs. Plastic" you are really engaging the whole community to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. Can you tell us more about this initiative and how you are getting everyone to participate in it?

The Climate Action Club started a reusable bag campaign to advocate for a reduction in the use of plastic bags in local stores. Our strategy was to involve the whole community in this effort. We used a variety of tactics:

1. Meetings and outreach with merchants: We held several meetings with local merchants. We explained our interests and listened to their interests and concerns. We developed research to help inform them. I produced a video, a fact sheet, and sent frequent emails. We invited legislative and marketing experts to speak at one meeting and invited discussion. We surveyed the merchants to see the range of solutions in which they were interested. We canvassed shops asking them to sign pledge cards and participate in our meetings. We made extra efforts to understand the store owners and the obstacles they face.
2. Community education and outreach: We began a column in our local newspaper explaining our campaign and the science behind it. We canvassed shoppers on the streets, explaining our work, handing out fact sheets and free canvas bags. Our movie was shown repeatedly on our local cable channel. We spoke at the local elementary and middle school.
3. When I won a $1000 award from Prudential for community volunteerism, I donated it to the campaign as a challenge grant for the community. This was written up in a feature in the paper, as well as in our column. I decided this would take the financial pressure off the merchants during tough times. We opened up donations to the challenge grant to community organizations as well as to individuals and businesses. Within a few weeks we had raised the equivalent of the challenge grant from a cross section of people and organizations.

We are now in the process of ordering our first installment of reusable bags. They will feature a town logo on one side and the names or logos of donors on the other side. The CAC will buy the bags, sell them in local stores, and use the proceeds to buy more bags. We have structured the system so that can be self sustaining and continuous. We continue to raise money and apply for grants so that we can expand the project. We hope to have the bags for sale in town by the summer.

You have done some incredible work and really shown yourself to be a leader in your community, what advice or (5) tips would you have for other young social entrepreneurs that could help them take an active role and leadership position in their communities?

1. EDUCATE: I believe it is vital to educate people about the current climate crisis. Many people do not really understand global warming, the impact of their individual actions, or how they fit into the ‘bigger picture.' I have spent extra time in my work with the CAC to develop educational materials not only for ourselves, but for the merchants and citizens. Education will empower people to inspire their neighbors and peers to take action. Informed action will lead to lasting change.
2. UNDERSTAND: It is extremely important to understand the people with whom you work. You have to take extra time to learn about their experiences, obstacles, concerns, and wishes. If you want effective and lasting change to occur, you can't work on a one-way street. You need to give and take. You might not achieve your perfect reality. But a compromise will lead to a more equitable and supported outcome.
3. REACH OUT: It is crucial to reach out beyond your sphere of influence into the wider community and to all age groups. This is one of the most powerful ways you can involve your whole community. You can achieve this goal in many ways. For example, the Climate Action Club has stood outside local stores, handing out free reusable bags and fact sheets to customers. We have also extended many of our school projects into town. Lastly, the CAC has diffused our educational materials throughout the local community: on the local cable channel, in stores, libraries, supermarkets, and schools. If you make an extra effort to reach out to as many people as possible, you will have more support and recognition.
4. GET INVOLVED: Form partnerships with other organizations, individuals, and groups. Get involved with people who are not part of your immediate venture. This will help develop an effective support network that is crucial to any group. It's important that you don't stay isolated in your bubble. You need to get involved with others to learn about their work and forge relationships. You can expand your resources and possibly even work together to create a bigger impact.
5. INSPIRE: It is critical that you share your passion with your peers, co-workers, and partners. As a leader, it is your responsibility to convey your enthusiasm. Your individual determination has the potential to inspire hundreds of people around the globe. But you have to strongly believe in your cause. You have to find the inner strength to share your motivation to inspire others. This can cause a powerful ripple effect that could galvanize your whole community to action.

What are your hopes for your current initiatives and where do you see your work going forward from here?

As described above, our biggest initiative right now is the reusable bag campaign. The CAC is also leading a campaign to reduce the use of energy at our school. We have worked with faculty to decrease the amount of time that computers, monitors, and printers are active. We have installed SmartStrips in two classrooms. The CAC is also collaborating with the administration around new policies for energy usage. We think the school's lights should be switched off at night, since 1/3 of our school's lights stay on all night.

The Climate Action Club is also continuing to recycle batteries and cartridges both in our school and community. As the height of spring approaches, we are monitoring our school campus for idling. We will continue to talk to idling drivers and educate them about the harmful effects of idling on the environment. We surveyed the school campus a couple of days ago, and there were only two idling cars.

On a more personal level, I want the club to be able to thrive without me by the time I graduate. I want to make sure that there is a strong foundation so the club will continue as an effective platform for students to have voice and real impact. I want the club to be an exciting platform for others to make a difference. However, it is my responsibility to give the club the tools, knowledge, and relationships to be able to continue our work. I want to further develop this platform for future generation of the CAC so it can continue to be a powerful body of young changemakers.

I also hope that my experiences with the CAC will enable me to create even more powerful movements in the future. I have learned so much about human behavior and attitudes toward change through my environmental work. I can now see that there are millions of noble, brilliant, and effective ventures around the world that are committed to saving our planet. These groups range from Al Gore's Repower America to ventures in Africa.

However, while I admire these efforts, I see how their power is limited because each one is separate from a wider network. Massive organizations, corporations, non-profits, for-profits, clubs, societies, and individuals are all taking action. But we are all fragmented. I see a need to unite and coordinate the global community of activists. I believe this is the next step that is essential for a better planet.

Get to know other young social entrepreneurs by reading their stories and seeing videos of them in action at http://genvcampaigns.org/

If you are a young person between the ages of 12-20 and want to create positive change in your community join the global movement of young changemakers at http://genv.net/