VIDEO: Getting Kids Talking About Climate Change



Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

By Douglas John Imbrogno | WestVirginiaVille.com | september2021

The best time to address the growing, compounding crisis of global climate change was yesterday. The next best time is today. The onslaught of crazy weather around the state, the country and the world — from extreme flooding in West Virginia to rampant wildfires out West, amplified by a changing climate — increasingly fills blaring headlines.

If you need one single encouragement to take action and to speak up to neighbors, community leaders and political officials, it might be this: the future world children today will inherit will be determined by decisions we take right now. Today. What world do you wish to leave children of your own or ones you know and love in your family and town?


What world do you wish to leave children? And how do we get them talking about the climate crisis?


Then, there is this question: how do you get kids talking about climate change? After all, they will inherit a heated-up Earth wracked by worsening climate breakdown. Or they will lead lives in a more comfortable world, one that has left behind carbon-spewing fossil fuels that have sent the planet tumbling toward a meltdown.

The video below can help. It brings to life the booklet “LILLY’S CLASS: Kids Talk About Climate Change,” by West Virginia resident Eleanor Spohr. The video makes personal the climate crisis for young people. It touches on classmates’ own frightening experiences with flooding. It underscores that while the lives of other species are threatened by extinction, the climate crisis is also a danger close to home — to one’s own pets, even.

The booklet’s creation was sponsored by the Citizens’ Climate Lobby of West Virginia. It is available for purchase for classrooms and individuals by e-mailing: ehspohr@mountain.net.

P.S: The Citizen Climate Lobby West Virginia is mounting a campaign to send 15-second “climate selfies” to WV Sen. Joe Manchin, who very well could be the deciding vote on whether serious climate legislation finally passes the Congress. Here is now to send Joe your 15-seconds of climate legislation encouragement: wvclimatealliance.org/blog/2021/9/send-a-climate-selfie-video-to-joe-manchin



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