Presentation for The Art of Living Summer Retreat August 2016 Presented by: and Liza K. Tóth Prepared by: Julie Wornan, Anna Zotova and Liza K. Tóth, with the help of the Saving Our Planet Team

1. Tackling Climate Change
Introduction to Teen Activism
Presentation for The Art of Living Summer Retreat
August 2016
Presented by: and Liza K. Tóth
Prepared by: Julie Wornan, Anna Zotova and Liza K.
Tóth, with the help of the Saving Our Planet Team

2. Introduction to Teen Activism
In the USA, young people have formed or joined
several organizations to fight climate change. Among
them:
 Kids vs. Global Warming (now, the iMatter Youth
Movement)
 Our Children’s Trust
 Earth Guardians

3. Some important questions:
Please jot down your ideas on these two questions:
1. How do we as humans contribute to global warming?
2. How can we reduce these contributions? What can we
change in our personal lives?
In a moment, we will watch a short film prepared some
years ago by a teenager.
Compare your answers to the ideas suggested in the
film!

4. Alec Loorz: Young Environmental
Activist
 After founding Kids vs.
Global Warming at the
age of 12, Alec has spent
his entire teenage life
speaking to hundreds of
thousands of youth and
adults on climate change
issues.
 Watch his video for his
Kids vs Global Warming
presentations.

5. Alec Loorz and Kids vs. Global
Warming Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ffgR1BxaE
Click image or link below to watch the film:

6. Alec Loorz
I started this organization called
Kids vs. Global Warming. I made a
little website, developed a
presentation, and then somehow
started getting invited to events all
over the country.
The climate crisis isn’t about money or
power…it’s about our future. My generation
and those to follow are the ones most
impacted by our addiction to fossil fuels, and
so we are demanding that our governments
put Climate Recovery Plans into place for
our sake.

7. Alec Loorz and Dr. James Hansen:
Learning about climate science

8. “Now is the Time”
“The time for arguments
and delays is over. Climate
scientists have shown what
needs to happen to avoid
disaster. We must all take
immediate and meaningful
action to shift away from
fossil fuels, before it’s too
late.”
Quoted from:
http://www.imatteryouth.
org/

9. Alec Loorz talks to U.S. Senator John Kerry
about Climate Change

10. “Our Future is Threatened”
“If society doesn’t change course now, we will grow up in a world
where countless species are extinct, where communities are torn
apart by extreme weather, and where famine, sea level rise, and
resource wars kill or displace millions of people.”
Quoted from: http://www.imatteryouth.org/

11. Brainstorming!
Brainstorm what you can do:
 to affect not only your own GHG emissions,
those of their community, region, county,
country and beyond
 to increase everyone’s awareness of the
problem
 What advice you can give people around you
Write down your ideas. We will share them
with each other before the end of the
session.

12. Young people take their
government to court…
“We’re demanding that
our government develop
a plan to reduce carbon
dioxide emissions 6
percent every year
starting now.” –
Alec Loorz

13.  Our Children’s Trust is an association formed to use the
courts to protect earth’s atmosphere and natural
systems for present and future generations. The
organization has filed many court cases, claiming that
governments need to do more in this regard.
 In one case, young people (“Plaintiffs”) from across the
United States have filed a climate change lawsuit in
Oregon.
 On April 8, 2016, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin
ruled in favour of the Plaintiffs.
 This ruling is now under review, with oral arguments
scheduled for September 13, 2016.

14. “The Winning Generation”
Young Plaintiffs Invoke Constitutional Grounds
for Climate Protection in Federal Court
The youth plaintiffs after the hearing on March 9 in Eugene,
Oregon. Photo credit: Our Children's Trust
http://www.ecowatch.com/judge-denies-motions-by-fossil-fuel-industry-and-
federal-government-in-1891080131.html

15. Kelsey Juliana
Kelsey Juliana,
Plaintiff

16. Alex Loznak
Alex Loznak,
Plaintiff

17. The Earth
Guardians
are a group
of inspired
young
leaders
working to
defend the
Earth, Water,
Air and
Atmosphere
for
generations
to come.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBm_eXy8fU4
Click image or link above to watch the film:

18. Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh
 an Earth Guardian
 an activist since the age of 6
 feeling connected to the
natural world: the mountains,
forests and rivers of Colorado
 raised in the Aztec tradition
based on the belief that
Indigenous people are
descendants of the original
caretakers of the land
 also a Plaintiff in the Children’s
Trust lawsuit in Oregon.
[Shoe-TES-ka]

19. “Transitional Generation”
“We are the
transitional
generation, the
last to be born
into a society
focused on short-
term greed, and
the first to enter
the sustainable
world we know is
possible. All of
us are called to
participate in
this shift.”
“We can hold our leaders accountable, we can start or join
teams at our schools, and we can build a national
movement of young people standing together and letting
the world know that WE MATTER.”
Quoted from: http://www.imatteryouth.org/

20. Going Forward
 Share your ideas from the “i Act” activity.
 Write down something you will do differently
going forward:
 to reduce your GHG footprint
 to increase your awareness on climate
issues
 to share your awareness on climate issues

21. Earth Guardians Activist Tool Kit Intro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yg0ZA6Dr7M
Click image or link below to watch the film:

22. Thank you for your
attention!
Please contact us if you need any help
in making your ideas of how to save our
planet come true!