First, we can engage our communities using our talents. Through creative activities like acting, singing, writing, painting, playing a musical instrument or even spoken word poetry, we can use our talents to pass across the message of sustainable living. Perhaps by making up a song about how we can care for our environment, plant trees and conserve energy, or simply writing a drama script about it. As young people, we have the power to engage our communities and get them to listen to us. We should use this opportunity to spread the word.
Second we can design. This is where our creativity, tact and handcrafts come in. Graphic designs, artworks, and eco-friendly building models can go a long way to advocate for sustainable life for people and planet. We can construct cost-effective, energy saving models or design eco-friendly art and fashion or make graphic designs that convey a message about a green planet.
Third, as young people, we can invent. Our science lessons should not go to naught at this point. So while we learn in our science, engineering and tech classes, we must ask ourselves what new thing we can build or develop that will aid sustainable living. It could perhaps be an application that tells when carbon emissions in a room are going too high. It could be that simple. And when we do that, we can start by sending it to neighbours and friends in our locality. Thus, through our inventions, we can work for sustainable living.
Fourth, we can use social media. As young people social media is a viable tool but we must use it innovatively. From wherever we are, a tweet a day about sustainable living, a Facebook post, or an Instagram image can help raise awareness about our responsibility to each other and our planet.
Finally, we strengthen each other through partnerships, thus we can start clubs in our localities. It could be a novel one or an existing organization who gives a license to start one. For instance, a Tunza Eco-generation club where young people in the community meet once every week and talk about Tunza ideals, share ideas, and carry out activities in line with sustainable living would do a lot of good for one community.
So in the words of US President Barack Obama at the Georgetown Address in 2013, ‘the question now is whether we (young) people will have the courage to act before it’s too late. And how we answer will have a profound impact on the world that we leave behind not just to us, but to our children and our grandchildren.’
I hope our answers are positive. Mine is.
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