A) Article
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/07/05/video-15-year-old-climate-warrior-address-un-calls-climate-change-human-rights-issue
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/meet-the-kids-suing-obama
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/08/15/21-youth-activists-sue-obama-administration-and-us-government-over-climate-change-161405
Meet Xiuhtezcatl Martinez. The 15-year-old climate activist from Colorado who just teamed up with 20 other young people to try to sue the United States Government for inaction on climate change. His message to our leaders is loud and clear: “The Federal Government has known for decades that CO2 pollution from burning fossil fuels was causing global warming and dangerous climate change,” said Xiuhtezcatl in a press release announcing the suit on August 12 2015. “It also knew that continuing to burn fossil fuels would destabilize our climate system, significantly harming my generation and generations to come. Despite knowing these dangers, Defendants did nothing to prevent this harm. In fact, my Government increased the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere to levels it knew were unsafe.” Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez, who was raised in the Aztec tradition, spoke earnestly to the United Nations General Assembly June 29 challenging the representatives to make “great decisions,” and take immediate action on climate change. “What's at stake right now is the existence of my generation," he said in his speech. "In the last 20 years of negotiations, almost no agreements have been made on a bonding climate recovery plan," he said. A long-time climate warrior, Martinez began speaking publicly on the topic when he was six years old. In his speech, he said that climate change is "the defining issue of our time," and "a human rights issue.”
Xiuhtezcatl Martinezis the perfect example of how the next generation is already working to chanllange and change our relationship with Air and Climate change. The truth is we already have the alternative technology to stop burning Fossil fuels and keep our air clean. The only thing standing in our way is the system, our government, and those generations that don't care or understand about the importance of taking care of our air. The Future of our Air is not about developing crazy new technologies, its about actually using the clean energy options we already have. Xiuhtezcatl Martinez represents the future of air, the next generation, the only thing that may actually save our planet.
1. Global/ National/ Local/ Personal Impacts: Xiuhtezcatl Martinez's speech to the united nations received worldwide press attention. Articles about the climate warriors of the future generation can be seen all over the internet. Hopefully this will wake up our policy makers and voting majority in countries worldwide to what needs to be done in order to reverse climate change and clean our air. As the youth director or Earth Gardens, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez has established a worldwide platform for youth to get involved and shake things up in the system.
2.) Impact Over Time:
2 Months/2 Years: Hopeful press coverage and awareness of these youth activists and their suing Obama and speaking of the UN will continue to grow. We could even see policies and fossil fuel laws become more strict worldwide in this time frame, if this counties.
20 Years: Future Generations are going to be the policy makers eventually. Is it so hard to believe that in this future policies will reflect the realities of our need for environmental protection of our air?
3.) Positive Outcome:Clean air globally, reduction of global warming and climate change.
4.) Negative Outcome: We will actually be able to see Dowtown L.A. when the smog clears, yikes.
5.) Region of the Future:Human tech
D) Questions for others
1. What do you think of Xiuhtezcatl Martinez suing the U.S. Government ?
2. Is this kind of protest effective?
3. Are clean air and alternative energy sources something you and your peers feel passionate about?
4. Do you ever discuss these subjects among friends?
This is one of the most exciting articles I've seen posted so far. Don't forget the questions for others, but I just wanted to say how interesting and how much I am - just comforted to see someone with the fight still in them. High Five to Xiuhtezcatl Martinezis
ReplyDeleteA bit of a tangent:
ReplyDeleteRelating this lack of change and need for advocacy to government reluctance — I agree. Though I think it's important to also look at how common people are reluctant to change. Basically, I think environmental degradation is tied to the dynamics of capitalism — a need for endless growth on a finite planet. When people think of changing away from capitalism, socialism and communism come to mind — both terms have a largely negative connotation in American society. Non-capitalistic political candidates have a lot to overcome to win office. I wonder how we could make the idea of sustainability and economic degrowth appeal to the masses and people with political power.