President-elect Donald Trump has made many of his climate and environmental policy intentions clear. From the repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act — which was planned to invest hundreds of billions of dollars promoting clean energy and tax credits — to the shrinking of the Environmental Protection Agency and a U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, Trump will undo many of the Biden administration's policies all while exacerbating the impacts of climate change. In light of these detrimental changes, it is more important than ever that youth be involved in climate action.
As 21.7 percent of the United States’ population, it’s crystal clear that individuals under 18 can have a huge impact on the climate crisis. Although youth don’t have the constitutional right to vote, they can still be active in their communities and fight against Trump’s policies. “I think it's very discouraging, obviously, to have a president who doesn't care about climate legislation, but the truth is there's a lot of politicians that represent you, and the state level in California is really good at pushing climate legislation, so by calling representatives and getting involved in local politics, students can fight for climate legislation,” explained Ilana Nickolaus, the president of the Berkeley High School Green Team. As a democratic stronghold and leader in climate action, California will still be able to pass legislation under the Trump presidency to decrease its carbon footprint.
Students can also join non school-affiliated organizations such as the Bay Area Youth Climate Summit, which organizes in-depth and interdisciplinary workshops on climate action or participate in climate change related events such as San Francisco's Climate Week which is coming up in a few months from April 19 to 27. With the state having a history of activism and so many opportunities to get involved, it is up to California’s youth to push for changes in order to prevent the climate crisis.
Although it might seem like fighting against climate change can be very time consuming, there are many indirect ways students can help save the planet. If students do not want to take the political route, they can focus on saving electricity and water at home and at school as well as calculating their own carbon footprint online. Students can also pay more attention to the food they eat and travel. For every 100 grams of beef, a red meat, produced, about 50 kilograms of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. By cutting out red meats, students can drastically reduce their carbon footprint and decrease the amount of carbon released. To go even further, students could consider becoming vegan, which a study from Oxford University found was the single most impactful way an individual could help the environment.
Changes in youth transportation habits would also be significantly impactful. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for 28 percent of total carbon emissions. While driving may shorten travel times, it has a terribly negative impact on the global climate. Instead of driving, students should try to walk, bike, carpool, and ride buses more. For shorter distances, walking and biking provide an emission-free and healthy alternative. For longer trips, public transport is often cheaper and certainly less environmentally-harmful than a car trip. By thinking more purposefully about transportation, students can begin getting from point A to B while mitigating their impact on the environment.
In the face of environmental setbacks and a new presidency, it can be easy to give up on any sort of climate initiative. While this feeling is understandable, it is exactly the opposite of what youth should be doing. Now, more than ever, it is vital for youth to partake in small yet meaningful climate actions. Whether taking the political route or making changes to one's daily habits, the most important thing is to take a stand and get involved. This is the most meaningful way to oppose the catastrophic Trump administration's plans.