Is there more than one climate activist Greta Thunberg?
Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish leader of the global climate crisis movement is just one of a multitude of campaigners worldwide. Many of whom, like Kenya’s James Wakibia, achieve great things without ever receiving the kind of credit they truly deserve.
Photo by Pascal Bernardon on Unsplash
You may never have heard of James Wakibia, but to many, his name is just as important as that of Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager spearheading the global climate crisis movement.
James was born and raised in the Kenyan city of Nakuru, the gateway to Africa’s Great Rift Valley, a busy transport hub on the roads to and from the country’s coast and the port of Mombasa.
Photo by James Wakibia
It was never James’ intention to become an activist for the environment. However, as a young photographer, he became acutely aware of Kenya’s spiraling love affair with single-use plastics and other plastic products. Without the incentive of education on the subject of environmental awareness in this part of the world plastic was simply everywhere.
On every tree and thornbush, flimsy single-use plastic bags hung and fluttered like Christmas ornaments. They clogged the drains of every town and village which led to destructive and life-threatening floods. They littered the pastures where precious cattle and goats grazed, causing death due to ingestion. Plastic was a major concern for Kenya and nothing was being done.
That’s where James entered the equation.
In 2011 he presented a petition to the Nakuru local government demanding the relocation of the Gioto dumping site to protect the health of the people and the environment. Unfortunately on this occasion, his pleas fell on deaf ears. This first-hurdle denial only served to strengthen James’ purpose and resolve.
Photo by James Wakibia
The power of persistence
James may not be as young as his global-minded counterpart, Greta Thunberg, but his role in the fight against the destruction of the environment is every bit as important.
In 2015 the photographer, and by now campaigner, instigated communication with newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and other media outlets. He wrote to politicians and public officials, government ministers and NGOs, he took to social media — Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter — and stood on any social platform where his voice could be heard.
As a photographer, James used his skills to visually highlight the problems that many people were unaware of or bluntly refused to admit existed.
Undeterred, the campaign continued relentlessly with more petitions, more letters to more newspapers, more media coverage, and the continuous bombardment of social media.
Photo by James Wakibia
Finally, his persistence paid off and his campaign found the ears of politicians who agreed with his stance and helped to spread his voice across the entire country.
A movement was born, James’ request was simple, he wanted the banning of all single-use plastic bags.
As a testament to his dedication and perseverance, in 2017 the Kenyan government declared a ban on all single-use plastic bags. It was a brave move and one that sent a clear message across the African continent and around the world.
Thanks to the concerns and actions of one single individual, a movement gathered momentum culminating in a positive result for the planet and all life on it. The campaign started by one man proves that positive actions are rarely wasted.
Photo by James Wakibia
The last straw
To the people of Kenya, James Wakibia may be something of a hero, but there are many other James Wakibias all around the globe doing their bit to help protect the environment.
In the Indian city of Gurugram, a satellite city of New Delhi, a 14-year-old boy named Aditya Mukarji has also made a positive impact on the climate crisis movement.
As a volunteer at an NGO recycling center, according to a report in The Times of India, Aditya was given a project concerning the problems surrounding the use of plastic drinking straws. The Class 9 student approached hotels, restaurants, and fast-food outlets asking them to make a pledge to ban the use of plastic drinking straws in their establishments.
With the aid of a presentation he had made, outlining the damage that plastics are doing to the environment, and most especially to marine life, the crusading campaigner has so far ensured that almost half a million plastic straws have been replaced by the more environmentally friendly paper option. It may seem like a small step, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
Photo by Kate Joie on Unsplash
The water of life
A 15-year-old schoolgirl from the First Nation on Manitoulin Island in Canada’s northern Ontario is leading the charge in the fight for the protection of the environment.
At a September 2019 speech to the Global Landscapes Forum at the United Nations in New York, Autumn Peltier raised awareness of the importance of water in all of our lives. The young campaigner told the assembled audience that “Canada is not a third world country, but here in my country, the Indigenous people live in third-world conditions. Boil water advisories are still in existence and have been for over 20 years in some communities.”
Photo by April Portrais on Unsplash
Inspired by her great-aunt Josephine Mandamin — the founder of the Mother Earth Water Walkers, a First Nation foundation whose sole aim was to raise awareness on the importance of water and the need for its protection — the now 15-year-old has been a clean water activist since the age of 8.
At the age of 15, she is already regarded as a veteran campaigner whose battle-cry is “We can’t eat money, or drink oil”. Another shining example of the power of one.
Photo by James Wakibia
Are you another Greta Thunberg?
Whether your concern is the great Pacific garbage patch, the effects of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, or the impact of fossil fuel on the environment and the planet, every decision you make can be a plus or minus in the campaign to save our planet.
Our individual campaigns don’t have to go viral or become global to be regarded as successful. Collecting discarded plastics from riverbanks and beaches can help prevent the spread of plastic pollution in the oceans. Making a decision not to buy from stores where fruits and vegetables are still wrapped individually, or making any small change which will ultimately help to reduce the seemingly never ending supply of plastics.
Your actions may not seem like they are capable of making a difference, but they are.
Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash
It is your campaign too
Greta Thunberg, James Wakibia, Autumn Peltier, Aditya Mukarji and countless others like them have raised their voices in the hope that someone may be listening.
There are no guarantees of success in their campaigns, some fall by the wayside, some gain momentum, and some like James Wakibia have made actual and significant differences in the struggle to save our planet.
Of course, they will have their detractors. Some will say that they are the puppets of big industry, or that they are backed by political or financial motivation, and even that their parents are misguided and support their children’s campaigns by proxy.
But, there will always be detractors no matter what the platform. Thankfully, there is no shortage of volunteers willing to step up to the plate in an attempt to make their voices heard above the noise.
If every one of us thinks in a connected manner like these selfless campaigners, our personal actions can become part of a collective movement. Together we can all make a difference for the future of the planet and all life on it.
With that in mind, we should all try to make every decision with great care. Climate change is here, and despite what many might say, it is a very real danger for life on earth.
It is not just their campaign, it belongs to all of us.
