Updated April 2021
Greta Thunberg is the Change We Want to See in the World
“When your children act like leaders and your leaders act like children, you know change is coming” – Michael Jollett.
Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old teen environmental activist from Sweden, has been quite the talk in the last year or so. The teen activist on climate change has brought people from all around the world, of all ages, together to fight for change and to protect our environment. Notably, she has helped advocate the climate change issue through speaking at the United Nations, strikes, marches, and simply calling out world leaders for the lack of initiation to protect our Earth.
She’s inspired millions of people to take a stand on this issue and has dedicated so much of her time to take on the climate change issue.
To put it simply, Thunberg has shaped the climate change movement far greater than anyone in history.
The teen has been an activist on climate change for a few years, but her work became noticed in 2018 when she spent her days skipping school to strike outside the Swedish parliament to push for stronger actions on global warming. An image captured Thunberg sitting outside with a sign saying “Skolstrejk för Klimatet” which translates to “School Strike for the Climate”. The image was shared, reposted, tweeted, and seen on numerous news and social media platforms. Soon she helped start the Fridays For Future – worldwide school strikes for climate change – bringing young adults from throughout the world together.
Her avocation led her to speak at the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference. She was also featured in Time Magazine as a ‘next-generation leader’, and eventually was named Time’s Person of the Year. Additionally, Thunberg was nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize and spoke at the United Nations Climate Action Summit a few months ago. Her work to bring more awareness to climate change has been impeccable. She has inspired and influenced more people than she could have foreseen.
Greta Thunberg hasn’t had it easy though.
Imagine being sixteen with millions of eyes on you. Thunberg faces this every day. She has millions of supporters, but she also has many critics. Being in the public eye means that her every move is being watched and judged. People have personally attacked both her work and her. Some have gone as far to subject her Asperger’s as part of their hate.
However, we can all learn something from her. Despite the negativity, she persists. She keeps going and she keeps fighting. Greta has begun this uphill battle because she is passionate. She wants to create change and sustainability for our planet and it’s future, so she is speaking up. Sometimes you really have to be the change you want to see because no one else will.
