School Climate Clubs

Students worldwide are awaking. They are marching, striking, speaking. They know humanity is in peril, and some are starting to act to save themselves from pending disasters. Greta Thunberg from Sweden, speaking at world conferences and encouraging school strikes in Europe. Students leaving school, marching and shouting “Save our Planet!” In the US students from Oregon are suing the US government, students in California confronting Senator Feinstein. They understand; why go to school when they have no future

They realize the urgency. Michael Soule, UC Santa Cruz professor emeritus of environmental studies, is one of many who have predicted that our planet will be unlivable for our children and grandchildren by the end of this century, in other words, in 82 years. Regardless of the causes of climate change, we earth residents, especially the young, have to deal with the biggest threat to our survival. To paraphrase Einstein: “You cannot solve a problem (Climate Change) from the same consciousness that created it.” The youth sense this and are striking out in ways that are available to them. Climate Clubs are another way.

Once club members understand the scientific causes and consequences of climate change, they could focus upon the most serious environmental problems of their own bioregions that will affect them directly and then take action that will have positive impacts on their lives and communities. The members will learn how to make the social, economic and political changes necessary to make up for decades of ignorance and inaction. Club activity will provide opportunities to learn personal and social skills of decision making, critical thinking, leadership, public speaking,
Starting School Climate Clubs will take a partnership between concerned and informed parents, teachers, school administrators and youth leaders. Science teachers are the obvious sponsors of Climate Clubs. One advantage of school clubs is that they will likely be easier and quicker to form than adding to or changing the school curriculum. Another advantage is that clubs would allow students to come together, supporting each other to become change agents for their own communities. 

Think of the huge progress that could be made in dealing with climate change if every elementary school, high school and college had active Climate Clubs. They could be models for the rest of us to make headway in this most difficult urgent crisis. Local communities could form Climate Cooperatives to prepare for how climate change will affect them. What better place than schools for starting a worldwide effort to save our planet for future generations? 


For years I’ve known that my generation caused most of the worldwide destructive activities that have led us to the brink of an environmental disaster, but I didn’t know to express it until an 11 year old girl said, ”You should repair as much as you can. And then you should teach young people what happened so it doesn’t happen again. And you need to say sorry.” (Isa Moore-Backman in YES!magazine, No 83, Fall 2017) 

If you think School Climate Clubs are a viable idea, talk to your kids, neighbors, teachers about how to channel the outrage of the students into positive action.
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Wayne Kessler, Mount Shasta, California
wayne2@shasta.com