Oh thanks for joining us for this special edition of Sustaining US here On KLC s PBS I'm David Huizar The United States Is in the midst of what is being dubbed a new climate Protests Activism a new way for young people to have their voices heard Loudly and clearly regarding what they believe are the solutions To an existential threat climate change and global Joining me now to discuss all of this we've assembled a Special research group via Zoom with young scholars from UCLA working on environmental issues the problems and The solutions Thank you all so much for being here Thanks for Allowing us to you Let's begin our This why is this environmental activism Taking off Why is it gaining so much traction So I think that people are drawing a lot of connections between Different social movements And as of now people are using social Media to build a larger system and accountability For policymakers for each other For our families And for power structures at large us as youth we've inherited a planet That's on death row The younger generation I hear Climate statistics of the need to do X Y and Z by 2050 I think I'm going to be 55 by then I'm still going To be around I'm planning on it And so I hear that I think I need to be doing something right now And I think a lot of my peers are probably In the same boat Yeah I'd like to jump in and say that I think for a Lot of young people we've been born into this climate crisis And we understand that it's currently happening but at the same time a Lot of the rhetoric around climate change paints it as a future issue That will affect future generations And we know That it's been affecting communities especially black and brown and low income Communities for four decades And so seeing these people Carry a disproportionate burden of a problem that they have had the least impact Creating is a big part of why young people have the passion And the rage that we see fueling this climate movement And I think what Danny said I definitely think the Internet and social media has a Big role in why climate activism that's taken off its so Easy not to access information and exchange information And what's happening in one place has the potential to gain national attention All across the country And I can say what climate activism More people especially youth especially black indigenous people Of color We now have a space to share and discuss And organize about a shared concern which is the climate crisis I don't want to add onto that and I'm not I do believe It's not so much a matter that the activism around the environment is kicking But it's a matter of the question of why is it getting much more publicity Because these voices have always been here and these voices Have been here in the past and these voices will be heard in the future So it's not a matter Why is it taking off but why is it going of for publicity And I kind of want to add on to Danielle said about the intersectionality of other movements and how This all ties together in local communities and how they function You Have so much conviction yet What do you say To critics or just simply people who prioritize Things like jobs or their health care or education Or their financial security in other words say for example simply paying the rent Over worrying about finding a solution for climate change panel What do you say to that climate change is just definitely not a standalone Issue Do you care about putting food on your table then You should absolutely care about how climate change is affecting Food production and how that's affecting food prices You Care about your property value then you should care about sea level rise Extreme heat and natural disasters that are going to affect The risk assessments of your property value And also just the safety of your home in general basically climate change Is the issue that brings all this together and We're going to have to deal with it one way or another in terms Jobs I think what a lot of people don't realize that jobs in renewables No jobs in fossil fuels 3 to one And it's one of the Fastest growing job markets across the country in both red and blue States And so from a jobs perspective investing In renewables and climate change solutions is a correct Economic decision for the countries Prosperity I'd just like to jump in to say you know concerns of Rent of rent and education and you know the varied social and political issues Are of course like legitimately important And as I panels Said before me it's all interconnected with with the climate crisis But it's also important to point out that there's a major and equitable Fusion of wealth not only in this country but but across the world And it's often people with this wealth who aren't Really worried about paying the rent too who are against investing in green Infrastructure and against creating this just climate transition And those are the very people who can afford to be to change for the better So I think we should be questioning that and building off Both Zoe and Kristen we live on a planet we live on a Finite planet with finite resources and ultimately we're going to have To make a change and it's better to make a change now than in the future And We will see widening wealth disparities if we Don't make a change immediately So the New always becomes old and we have to make sure that we are working communities Of color the same opportunities that we're affording people who are able to Invest in sustainable solutions for themselves Why is there that disparity though between People of color and the Rest of society Why is there as you say that Inequity possibly even an inequality So I'm a scholar of environmental racism and environmental Racism is the disproportionate distribution Environmental goods and environmental bads So these are caused By either corporate decisions or institutional policies that deliberately Discriminate against people of color And worsens their environments And when an environment Is degraded it affects all of us but ultimately it is Not allowing people who live in that space Their access to a full quality of life So we see this Coming out and asthma rates cardiovascular disease and other Diseases that eventually lead to early morbidity Panel do you all agree with Daniel and her Take on the environmental racism as she Terms it I definitely think environmental racism Is an extremely important topic and It's kind of at the heart of the climate crisis because Black and brown indigenous communities These low low income communities and minority Have been facing discriminatory practices for Decades They face a higher exposure to Air pollution and climate change threats like Heat rise They are less invested So they have less access to health care and then They have less ability to be resilient and rebound From those crises that they face And so race Institutional racism and how that intersects with the climate movement Is is really at the core of what our crime crisis Climate crisis is is facing Diana what's your Take on that It's not just some made up Thing by climate activists kind of push some kind of climate Crisis agenda for years and decades Communities of color black indigenous people of color have been facing Rising health inequities whether regard to air pollution Water contamination geography And how close proximity they are to toxic pollution Whether it's like waste polluting facilities and in order to move Towards a just climate action plan or To tackle climate change we can't do that without recognizing The health disparities or racial inequities that our communities are facing from Climate change Yes certainly some could argue it's not A racial issue potential they could say it's a financial Issue it's a monetary issue in disadvantaged communities Whether you're brown black white whatever The case may be it's maybe the color is green It's all about green and if you don't have financial means you're In a difficult situation here in the United States Could that be a possibility Or adding to it I would say That combating climate change is much easier if you Have political power on your side I did a little Like I wrote a little op ed About research about this Sea in the southeast corner of California and basically The gist of it was the reason why there is environmental disaster Out there that has been present and getting worse and not stalled For decades is that the community there which is a largely Immigrant population that is you know Poor and does not have political power just basically Does not get their voice heard in Sacramento and an easy solution Is not available So to me it's about Power and that can often be tied to race So Let me jump in because I want to talk about something you just said bread and maybe Get aid and take on it I'll start with it But why do all You believe in speaking of the politicization of this Why do you all believe the US seems to be so divided and polarized Over this issue For example why does the Green New Deal Sparked so much argument even anger whether it's in Congress Or in the public This is such a big Polarized issue because it's harder it will really be People to realize that this is equals reality This is my reality Down the street There is a factory that used to burn batteries In my front yard I can't grow anything There is light in there that's been Deposited from that factory for 30 for over 30 years This is a reality Low income people especially people of color Indigenous black brown face So When you're talking about this drastic reality in such a way that Has been brought up differently in society in Politics now than it has before there's more representation To talk about hey this is we can't justify the things that These corporations are doing to our communities anymore And it's gonna be a hard way to transition To things like clean energy to reduce contamination And what that comes ideology of how they view giant corporations As well Because speaking of reality it seems Each person in the US has a different reality depending upon Potentially what part of the country you live in or whether you're liberal or conservative Democrat Republican whatever the case may be may be for Some or for most If you read some of the polling Research most people do believe we have a great environmental challenges Definitely climate change and global warming though They question the priority of do we Fix it Is it or what is the magnitude of the problem When you talk about the polarization panel weigh in on It I think it's important when when talking about this to think About the history in the U.S. of the context Of the climate crisis So we have to discuss how Politicians and industry have deliberately spread misinformation On climate change and about the legitimacy Of the science surrounding the climate crisis You know it's It's been a decades long information campaign at the federal level At the state level And so when people hear conflicting views From their elected officials and from scientists it becomes About you know defending your norm and what makes sense to you Until people might lean toward listening to people they know better than people They elected to office And so that's an important part of why this is so Polarizing People have been misled for decades and they're continuing To be misled I also want to say I think kind of the blessing Curse of having social media and the Internet and so much more access to Information as it comes a lot easier for misinformation to be spread And I think then when you have misinformation from the Internet and All of these different sources and politicians who are Just agreeing with scientists it becomes really clouded of What information to believe and what information not to believe So The fossil fuel industry has known about climate change since the 1970s and since then has promoted this Image of fossil fuels not being bad So even the term Climate change sounds like it's something that's progressive or it might Be slow But saying global warming is so much more impactful Because global warming is happening we're seeing it everywhere we See sea level rise and it sounds more Immediate And I think that for especially The older generation it seems like oh I maybe Have gone by the time that I see these full effects but We're seeing reversing Massive change now adding that the United States is home to such diverse geography and people And as a result inevitably we're going to see different ways in how we Experience climate change and prepare for it It's no coincidence That states like California or New York are reacting more urgently To climate change while they're also at high risk of it For example in California Where along the coast and then I was part of our state is Along the coast and our coastal communities are extremely vulnerable To rising sea levels Every year we're also experiencing record Breaking summer heat and more frequent wildfires And in New York Back in 2012 when they were devastated by Hurricane Sandy We saw people lose their homes lose their jobs and In response to that New York City introduced our Office of Resiliency to Prepare for future crises And because of the foundation from Office New York City and the state has been able to take Steps to invest billions of dollars to prepare for climate change Which unfortunately isn't the same for places all across the Country Unfortunately funding and preparing for crises Become more popular after the crisis has already happened We should Reacting to crises when the worst happens We should be preparing for it before it happens in the first Place And for some communities climate change just seems Really distant And when you don't feel like you're at risk you Might be less likely to care about it or asked about it act on it Or prepare for it as long as the country is divided Depending upon where you live We all have natural disasters If you're in California what says example there are wildfires If you're in the Southeast There are hurricanes If you're in the Midwest There are tornadoes we have mudslides and you Scientists believe that the data prove That there is a relation to climate change global warming all these Natural disasters With that said what do you say To let's use the term science deniers or people who don't believe your Science or don't believe your data I think It's important signals that I am as I am not A college student or an HD student I'm a high Student and an activist in my neighborhood I feel like it's important to Know that While we should we We Do need to listen to their data We also need to listen to the story because I type in The data and that match the data because when you deny Science and facts and a lot of the denying people these stories Are or how they were grown up in these neighborhoods and these environments I feel like then at that point it's kind of A way of secluded yourself So you don't have to face the changes that are happening In the world It makes sense it does And I do know you are Our lone high school student amidst all of the UCLA Students so Aiden Thanks for pointing that out Let me ask A question more deliberately to all of you on a personal Level So what are for example your personal emotions That motivate you as activists which you are and the activist Regarding climate change because obviously There's got to be a way for you to strike a balance with Your emotions which I know run high I can hear in this same interview Versus simply finding and presenting what I say are viable and reasonable solutions Because right now the emphasis has to be on the word reasonable Do you guys Agree Yeah So when I would talk about my Emotions I would say the only two categories One would be just then the extreme necessity of the situation Something like a fight or flight response Every time I read a paper Or an article or or another fact about climate change It definitely motivates me to get back to work on it And the other is Just I would say like wonder at the opportunity That we have in front of us My imagination Can go pretty wild about the ways we can reimagine the way our societies Powered and functions You know just a little example Living in Los Angeles I really Would like a public transportation network that is efficient that Is cheap and that takes me where I need to go And that Would go a long way towards toward solving climate change So Yeah I definitely feel a lot of hope Surrounding climate action the sense of community is extremely Here and especially for young people I think this feeling Of people across the globe coming together for this similar goal Solving the epitome of really a climate Of a collective action problem which which is climate Change and that's a big part of my motivation as young people It's super important because it plays into a feeling Legitimate you know empowerment You know young people are Often looked down upon and delegitimized in science in Politics in general in our society and so feeling that We are making progress and the people are listening to us is extremely powerful Really motivated but but also to the second piece Your question I would kind of fight against the Idea that emotions are antithetical to finding and presenting Viable and reasonable solutions Our emotions are What fuels us to present those solutions Climate change doesn't Exist in a vacuum It's it's an issue that is intimately tied To humans and our psychology our emotions And so I would I would be concerned if people who are trying to find solutions to climate change That didn't take into account people in our and our nuanced perspectives Emotions Let me jump in because our few minutes remaining Probably the most vital question I should In this half hour zone we've talked about so many of the issues Let's talk solutions panel how do we bring people together what are Some of the solutions based upon some of these issues you all have talked about So I think the number one thing Is getting people out to vote and vote for politicians Who are going to support climate activism and support Change that's going to help fight the climate crisis we're currently facing As Brett said having political power is having Power within these communities And I think that's one of the Biggest ways we're going to be able to make change So as of right now the Green Deal is a plan It's not necessarily a Policy proposal So it's really important that we move towards Making that policy And like Zoe said we need to get The vote out And one way that we can do that or if You're interested is to sign up for The listserv for the sunrise and the sunrise movement Is a global climate action movement That's seeking to push forward the green new deal and there are chapters In every major U.S. city there are hubs everywhere and They actually send out newsletters with briefings as to which Politicians are pushing for climate action plans I definitely agree with the voting and voting green Please Do that I would also encourage Everyone and anyone to make climate change central to their career I think most of us are doing that and It's super inspiring And I just love Being able to to work on making communities more resilient And also lowering pollution So I Definitely encourage people to study climate change And to incorporate that into their career whether They're an educator whether they're an engineer At anything you can do can be tied to climate Change Zoe what do you say about all that Yeah I Completely second everything that my colleagues have said thus far I think as much as we can make these individual changes Having broad scale politicians making me bigger changes Is really where the change is going to come from Did you Get the final word as our lone high school student I definitely agree with what everyone's saying but I Believe the next step is for folks to realize how significant the I guess the Simple things that we view such as clean air clean water and clean soil Is the human life Not only that but Supporting your local active organizations as well And also and also supporting your Learning and supporting the tribe occupied this land before Is a way to move forward Well yeah Way too important as well because we can learn from them And not just rely on these policies that may not get passed such as The greening go and take matters into our own hands and kind of Shape our community the way that we want to because I guess in closing right that's what this is all about education and Learning correct panel Absolutely Well thank you so very Much panel for this very to say the least lively discussion From a young person's perspective about climate change and climate Solutions Thank you all Thanks for having us Steve AGU And for more information about Our program just click on KLC US dot org and then click contact To send us your questions and comments or story ideas so we can Hear from you Thank you all so much for joining us for this special Edition of Sustaining US here on KLC s PBS I'm David Huizar