Santa Barbara’s Resolution To Fix Climate Change Should Inspire You All
A few weeks ago in January, Santa Barbara’s school board voted to adopt a new resolution that promises to teach and be truthful about the effects of climate change in their oncoming school curriculum.
The Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) will focus on environmental education and sustainability, encompassing all the formative years from the first year of elementary school to the last year of high school. The school facilities that are a part of the SBUSD will undergo slight changes to involve solar panels in the building’s power generation, and there are plans for “climate-friendly food service,” which would include more options for plant-based diets.
An excerpt from the full resolution states, “climate change is a social justice and equity issue. While climate change impacts all people and disproportionately impacts all young people and future generations, it disproportionately affects people of color and people in poverty, thereby exacerbating existing inequities and limiting equality of opportunity which is a foundational aspiration for modern America…the global urgency of the challenge of addressing climate change calls for leadership in all sectors of society, all institutions and all elected leaders.”
Clearly, the Santa Barbara school board is thinking along the same lines as the disgruntled, affected youth they describe. All across the U.S., even all around the globe, protests and actions led by youth speaking truth to power have shed light on the apocalyptic threat we’re facing.
In Europe (mostly in her home town of Sweden), Greta Thunberg has been a leader in global climate activism, particularly school strikes led by the youth. At “Davos” (the World Economic Forum), Greta told world leaders and elites in business she wanted them to freak out about climate change: Greta Thunberg “I Want You To Panic” Video. If you’re looking for hope, you might find it with Greta, but by accident. Her honesty, passion, and outright anger has inspired many into taking action.
Mostly in the United States, but with sister branches popping up in London, Australia, and Nurnberg, Zero Hour has been working hard to insert young voices and youth-led action into the mainstream, stressing how important it is that we remember the systems of oppression that cause and exacerbate climate change. One of their main Guiding Principles is, “Those who are on the frontlines of any movement should lead that movement.” That’s speaking truth to power. Highlighting systems of oppression makes people uncomfortable—but if we want to solve climate change, it’s necessary to think about the root causes of the problem. They’re pushing the radical into the common zeitgeist, and it’s working.
And of course, back in Santa Barbara, they’re creating edible gardens for school campuses. These upcoming projects are likely going to be led by students, and faculty with the students in mind. Santa Barbara is a beautiful coastline community, and they’re adapting.
If you need more convincing to take action, think of the second defintion of resolution. “The quality of being determined.” People all over are determined to stop — or at least try and slow — climate change, and harm to wildlife. New SBUSD board member Kate Ford says, “Now we must go forth and build a robust, bold and innovative climate and environmental education program that helps our students understand and address the impact of global warming.” If you’re one who likes to be on the “winning side,” the sheer number of those willing to sacrifice their personal comfort, time, and money to make sure we don’t all die should blow your mind. We are the winning side. So don’t waste time trying to follow those who are slower — everyone’s coming over eventually. You might as well be the first of the reluctant.
You might as well help save the world.
