PRESERVATI N
NATI N
ACTIVISTS
Greta Thunberg
Climate Change Activist
Greta Thunberg is a sixteen-year old climate activist hailing from Stockholm, Sweden. In August 2018, she staged a strike from attending school on the steps of Swedish Parliment to draw attention to Sweden's and world's inaction towards climate change. Thunberg's passion for the environment has now grown into a worldwide movement known as "Fridays for Future." Inspired by Thunberg's efforts, students and educators around the world have participated in mass school strikes for climate change awareness. In addition to her out-spoken envrionmental call to action, Thunberg has also been open about having Aspergers syndrome, a form of autism. Thunberg speaks optimistically of her personal difference as a strength and inspiration for her movement. "Being different is a gift," she told BBC, "..if I would've been like everyone else, I wouldn't have started this school strike for instance." Thunberg continues to make diplomatic strides for effective environmental policy and most recently spoke at the UN Climate Action Summit a month ago on September 23rd.
Autumn Peltier is a fifteen-year old Canadian-indigenous activist fighting for clean water in native communities and around the world. Peltier is from the Wikwemikong First Nation/Manitoulin Island and is from Ojibway/Odawa heritage, according to the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). On March 22, 2018, she spoke at the United Nations World Water Day to spread awareness for the scarcity of clean water. That same year in August, Peltier was invited as a keynote speaker at World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden. Although Peltier is only fifteen years old, she has already been awarded with the Soverign's Medal for Volunteers, WE Day Award for Youth in Action, and honored as an Ontario Junior Citizen. Along with Greta Thunberg, she spoke at the UN Climate Action Summit this past September to fight for water conservation: "I've said it once, and I'll say it again: we can't eat money or drink oil," she proclaimed in her UN speech.
Autumn Peltier
Climate Change Activist
Kevin Ossah
Climate Change Activist
Kevin Ossah is a twenty-two year old Togolese climate activist and Consultant/CEO of OJEDD International, an organization to develop environmental sustainability among the youth of Togo. Climate conservation efforts are needed across Africa as The United Nations Programme stated that Africa will be the continent hit the hardest by climate change and global warming. Growing up in the authoritation nation of Togo in West Africa, Ossah cannot use the same freedom of speech as other climate activists. "As youth, we can't be putting our lives in insecurity by entering roads and doing something that Greta is doing," he told AFP. According to France 24, Ossah trying to educate rural communities about climate change, plant trees, and writing to leaders for assistance in taking action. He also recently held a "mock" United Nations debate to pitch different ideas of conservation efforts across the world.
Jamie Margolin is a seventeen-year old climate activist from Seattle, Washington. According to the Seattle Times, when Margolin was fifteen she started the international nonprofit organization, Zero Hour, with Nadia Nazar. She also is among a group of students suing Gov. Jay Inslee for excessive green-house gas emissions from the state of Washington. Margolin sees the climate activism as an act of emergency. "I'm very urgent because it is a time bomb and it is going to explode. Do I have an affinity for time bombs? No. But if I have that emergency situation, of course I am going to act." said Margolin in the Seattle Times. Margolin also brings diversity to climate activism as she proudly is queer, hispanic, and jewish according to Forward.
