Climate change is real. The destruction of the environment is real. It’s not a political issue, it’s a humanitarian issue. Every single person will be affected...but unfortunately, climate change in the U.S. will hurt poor people the most.

We have less than a generation to make changes to create a sustainable future. If you don’t want future generations to look back at this moment in time and wonder how we stood by as the environment crumbled, then step up and take action!

The prevalence of the Internet and smart devices allows educators to extend their reach far beyond the students in their classroom. Take, Professor Dave for example. His YouTube channel, Professor Dave Explains, boasts more than 446,000 subscribers with video view counts up to 280,000.

If we work together, we can tap into these powerful tools to create waves of influence that inspire action and solutions for a sustainable future that will last from generation to generation. Digital media is heavily embedded into everyone’s lifestyle, with teens consuming up to 9 hours of digital media daily and checking social media more than 100 times a day. However, learners today are often CONSUMERS of digital media, left at the mercy of what others craft for them, regardless of whether it’s true.

For the 2019-2020 school year, let’s ask our students to design digital media to create awareness and inspire action related to climate change.

Together we can make waves that ripple across communities and raise awareness to create change. Every day, teachers make a difference by supporting, inspiring, coaching, and educating a new generation of learners. However, teachers’ actions often happen in isolation of one another.

Imagine if every teacher in the world embedded lessons about climate change into their curriculum - encouraging students to think critically and scientifically about what is happening to their planet; supporting them in starting conversations with their families and communities about making changes to their lifestyles; inspiring them to design solutions; helping them become activists in leaders so that they have a better future.

But even on a smaller scale we can collaboratively raise awareness and motivate action. For example:

• A high school teacher with 120 students who each design a poster, meme, or infographic about air pollution and share their designs with peers and family members… Potential Impact: 500+
• An elementary teacher with 20 students who create a video about the carbon footprint of meat and post it on social media and the school website/newsletter… Potential Impact: 1,000+ views
• A teacher preparation faculty member with 30 future teachers who each design a podcast about deforestation and then ask their students to do the same… Potential Impact: 1,000+
• Combined impact from just three educators: More than 2,500 people...Imagine if our community consists of hundreds or thousands of educators!!