Teens can be shortsighted, to say the least. After quarantine, once I got to high school I noticed how different everyone’s lives are and how big a person’s carbon footprint can be. I get that in a lot of cases, your carbon footprint isn’t your biggest concern and I know it’s not realistic that it be at the top of everyone’s priority list but if I’m thinking logically…it should be, and it’s interesting when you meet kids who’s minds it never crosses at all. 

My friends and I hosted a “Friendsgiving” meal one night leading up to Thanksgiving. During a conversation about a similar topic, one of them proclaimed themself to be “anti-environment”.

That had my jaw on the floor. What does that even mean? Of course, I couldn’t take that literally because we all know that this is the only earth we’ve got but how could someone associate themselves with an “anti-environment” agenda when the world is falling apart as we speak? 

What I’m trying to prove here is that for young people, and especially teens, the concern for the health of the world is at an all-time low.

Is it because they feel there is no hope? That we’ve already made our beds and now we have to lay in them? I couldn’t disagree more.

My other hypothesis is that our world has made it almost impossible for young people to escape a surge of consumerism that is always growing exponentially and supported by their dependence on the media.

If environmentalism isn’t trending, it must not be that important right?

Listen, I’m not suggesting that every teenager needs to become some radical activist, I’m just looking for a little bit of consideration for the world around you in your day-to-day life. Making small changes and doing small gestures still makes a difference.

Young people have an issue with instant gratification; giving up on short-term goals for short-term rewards, rather than sticking it out to achieve a long-term goal with a higher reward. Particularly, in a situation like this, where the reward of the goal seems so out of reach and is so underappreciated, and progress isn’t obvious. 

Take baby steps: start recycling, stop contributing to fast fashion, and get off TEMU! 

Teens still aren’t totally in control of their lives so it really is the little things that count.

And who knows, climate change might catch up with us anyway but maybe you’ll get a little good karma in return if that’s what you need to tell yourself.