Want proof that amazing work can come from anywhere? Consider the story of environmental action being taken by students at Boston Latin School, the United States’ oldest public school.
The students are part of a club called Youth Climate Action Network, or Youth CAN. Their goal is to address climate change, as well as other environmental issues – not just at their school, but in the broader community.
It sounds lofty, but the club is having a huge impact. Youth CAN, which formed after a teacher screened “An Inconvenient Truth” for her students, already has conducted an energy audit of its school. The audit has led to changes such as recycling in the cafeteria and the installation of energy-efficient lighting.
Taking things one step further, the students have launched a “sustainable roofscape” project. They hope to turn the roof of Boston Latin School into a usable facility that includes solar panels and a garden where food could be grown for the school’s cafeteria.
What’s really awe-inspiring is the work that Youth CAN does beyond the walls of its school. For example, the group is encouraging other nearby buildings to install green roofs in the hopes of forming the first green roof enclave in Boston. It’s hosting annual Climate Summits at MIT that are free to students and educators from grades 7-12. And it’s drawn the attention of people such as Al Gore and the mayor of Boston.
“Climate change is a really urgent issue that we all need to be aware of and combat in our daily lives,” one Youth CAN member tells NBC in this report:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
At Team Earth, we couldn’t agree more.
Granted, it will take more than individual action to successfully fight climate change – political will, new technology, and corporate responsibility will all play a huge role. But individuals, people like you and me, are a huge part of the pie. We don’t need to wait for our leaders to take action before we do our part.
Are you ready to join folks like the Youth CAN network as part of Team Earth? Read more about our climate challenge.
