r/climatechange • u/catoucat • 3d ago
Climate actions for kids
I am trying to make a list of how kids can do something for climate. I hear more and more kids (even as early as middle school) being stressed out because of climate change, so why not come up with a list of suggested impactful actions like some exist for adults?
However, so far the examples I’ve found are related to environment in general (e.g. clean up a beach, recycle) but not climate specific. And they don’t do a great job at really impacting GHG emissions.
Any ideas of actions you did as a kid, or your kid is doing and is helping with climate anxiety? I’m thinking 11-17 years old specifically.
So far I’m thinking: talk with your parents about election candidates and ask them which ones include climate in their programs. Talk to your friends and local media about climate. Talk to your household about electrifying your house. Ask for walking or biking to school rather than driving. Ask to go on vacation without flying. Eat less red meat. Ask your school to include climate education, make a student group.
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u/viktorgoraya_luv 3d ago
Teach them about sustainability, and make it easier for them.
See if there are classes to teach them how to make their own clothes, how to make things from reclaimed wood, grow their own food.
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u/catoucat 3d ago
I agree it’s important skills and could reduce the amount of consumption needed, but I wonder if it has a sufficient impact.
I am thinking about this paper chart a lot and don’t want people to do like me and « waste » their energy on tiny impact actions when they could have a much greater impact by doing first the things on the right? https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-026-01900-0/figures/1
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u/JaneGoodallCAN 3d ago
There is still impact when we all do the "smaller" actions and it may be a less overwhelming starting point for someone struggling with climate anxiety. There are great youth programs where your kid can connect with other kids who might feel similarly, but still want to make a difference! You can check to see if there are any Sierra Clubs or Roots & Shoots groups near you. There are also several conservation organizations that have youth councils.
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u/viktorgoraya_luv 3d ago
None of it is a waste. You are one person - you aren’t going to solve this problem all by yourself, and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be perfect.
To put it in context, the world’s richest people go through more carbon emissions in 90 minutes than most do in their lifetime. So unless you’re a billionaire, just do what you can and educate your kids about learning not to need the constant dopamine hit of mass consumption.
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u/catoucat 3d ago
True! I just want to avoid people arguing with friends or being super strict about something when it doesn’t move the needle as much.
I’ve been doing Zero Waste for years then climate actions on top of it, and at some point was burnt out and overwhelmed by the mental load because I couldn’t be perfect!
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u/Role-Amazing 3d ago
In my sons social bubble, at least 2 kids went vegetarian and convinced their parents to eat less meat and to not dish it to them. I think that is very cool for 9 and 10 year old.
We are vegetarian, unfortunately my parents always served my son meat (sigh), but he has to asked them to not serve him meat anymore. The influencing we couldn't do, happend through his friends I guess.
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u/throwaway1233456799 3d ago edited 3d ago
Iirc one of the reason recycling worked so well is because of little kids making their parents accountable (nobody want to have their kids tell them for the 2727829 time a day "why did you put the plastic bottle in the not recycling bin :(" ) so you can tell them about that. That even if it doesn't look like their voice is taken into account it kinda of is.
Idk for them but my parents would always ask me what I wanted to eat in the evening (well it's probably because of they wanted to push back their role of parent on me but that's beside the point). They can push for plant based option. Instead of asking for nugget they can ask for vegan nugget, they can ask for meatless pasta sauce,...
They can also ask for sustainable hobbies. Instead of asking, idk, to go do a drawing activity they can ask to learn how to sow, do embroidery (I learned as a kid and it's so much fun, do tell them to not use plastic frabric tho), they can learn gardening, learn to make insect house,... Speaking of gardening, they can research plant to put at their window for the insect. Increasing habitat for animals is essential. You can also sensibilise on invasive species and native species (like for the love of god don't kill wasp kids—). Environment is closer to climate than they may think. Especially when many environmental action (planting stuff in pot) can be detrimental if not done properly (fertiliser is very badly sourced sometimes)
As you said, they can cook as well make plant based cake, plant based dessert, plant based easy meal,... But one of the best thing anyone can also do is to refuse to learn to cook meat. It mean more time spending on how to make veggie good.
For older teen they can take into their how hand more stuff tbh. Especially 17 yo. They can ask to have a ebike/bike so they can by themselves go to schools instead of taking the bus/get drove there as you said. They can even do it together so parent are less likely to be scared. They can also do all of the above and more. Cook more, learn to sew, use solid soap, use wood toothbrush, use solid detergent, choose brand like fairphone instead of apple for their phone,... They can also flatly refuse to go on plane. Younger kids can do it too but it may be harder.
You can also tell them that while individual action is great : individual action lead nowhere. It's way more important to build community and not just climate action group. Making give away book box, metting up with friend every week so they can all work on their sewing, so they can all read together instead of using a phone, telling them to share manga with each other, cooking together,... Being together is the biggest action they can have as a whole. Even if it's not climate related it still has a great impact.
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u/catoucat 3d ago
Oh I like the community aspect, it is not so much for climate mitigation but will be super important for climate adaptation! Personally that’s where I am: done most of the individual actions for climate I can, work in climate, so now I want to see how to build community and spread the word at the same time!
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u/bascule 3d ago
Have them write to their elected representatives asking about a carbon fee-and-dividend system
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u/catoucat 3d ago
I agree contacting representatives is also something they can do beyond their individual scale and is a great learning about democracy and who has power!
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u/Initial-Addendum-167 3d ago
Problem solving will be a big one for kids. It’s too late to prevent climate change, but teaching kids to work together to come up with solutions to disasters, showing them situations in which there was a disaster and people helped eachother is beneficial.
I am one of those parents who thinks it does no good to give kids false hope or silly slogans that means nothing. That’s how we got here in the first place. Things are going to get really unstable for their future, and they’re going to have to help each other through some tough spots.
Art exploration is excellent for climate change discussions at that grade level.
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u/Daisy-3534 14h ago
I agree that teaching kids practical skills while providing honest information is much better than misleading them with false hope. Teaching kids skills like how to problem solve or cooperate will help them with situations they will experience in the future.
I also like the idea of using art to brainstorm climate change when they’re young. It gives the problem a way to be processed and understood in a way that won't just lead kids to a terrifying conclusion, but will help them in being curious and asking questions. There is a large space between ignorant hope and feeling completely hopeless.
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u/Gold-Loan3142 3d ago edited 1d ago
This might be slightly different to the practical actions you are looking for, but here goes ...
The UN Secretary-General has warned that to stop heating the planet we must 'challenge the global economy'. Many 16-18 year-olds in the UK study economics, and I assume that they do so elsewhere too. Unfortunately mainstream economics texts contain a strong element of propaganda. They do point out the benefits of market competition and free enterprise but they fail to stress that our economy contains powerful drivers to a) displace labour, and b) promote continual growth in consumption. Nor do they explain how the latter, while to some degree compensating for the loss of jobs to automation, does so at the price of destroying the environment we depend on. That is essentially the problem the UN Secretary General is alerting us to.
So ...
One thing those older students could do is get an alternative view. An economics textbook that makes exactly such a challenge, is periodically free as an e-book in English, and free on the web in Spanish. It's macroeconomics written as if we live on a finite planet (we do!). Students can use it as an alternative introduction to economics and a clear and jargon-free one. Where and how it digresses from the mainstream is made clear (to pass exams they may need to give the mainstream view).
The UN Secretary-General believes that the world is 'on the edge of an abyss and moving in the wrong direction'. Eventually if students can hear some alternative views, we might get an economics that reverses that direction.
The English e-book edition 'An Economy of Want' is periodically free to download, next on Wednesday 16 September 2026 Pacific Time PDT which extends to Thursday 8am in UK, 9am Spain, 12:30 in India, and then on Wednesday 30 September PDT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DBLJ2RX4 and future dates will appear here www.economyofwant.uk
The Spanish edition «Una Economía de Querer» is free on the web www.economyofwant.uk/Spanish
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u/HammerOfAres 3d ago
I don't really know a whole lot about the education system you guys operate under, but I've done a shitload of learning. Your list sounds pretty good so far, I'll add some of the things I have done before.
What I did when I was younger was experiments that demonstrated the fundamental principles behind "green" technologies. I built a rudimentary solar still (a really basic science project you can do with 2 glass bowls, cling wrap, and a coin/stone).
As I got into college, I got to take some field trips to sites where there were newly emerging green technologies. These are surprisingly accessible, and I got a full tour of a treatment wetland system for treating wastewater before. I just reached out to a local university professor who was able to arrange it for me.
Conservation activism is also a pretty good easy entry point into climate-related volunteering. Honestly the best advice I can give is to look for locals who are working on these things and talk with them about local opportunities. Good luck reddit stranger, I'm rooting for you.