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'Saving' the planet: its not just about young people

Sara Wolcott | Friday 13th March 2009

Intergenerational partnerships are the way to go!

Yesterday, my professor inadvertently stepped into the quagmire of discourse around 'saving' the planet. He held up several recent newspaper articles depicting the result of much scientific research: a great deal of doom. The Amazon might be beyond saving. There is, according to respected people not given to over-reaction, little cause for optimism that we - and hundreds of species, many of whom we have little knowledge of and probably never really noticed but which are essential to a rich, diverse and functional eco system - will most likely not survive climate change.

Now, my professor said, either we chuck it all in and go home and drink, or we realize that we (who study the interactions between science/the environment, policy and people) are at the epicenter of the debate. I, he said, choose the latter, and I am very optimistic that, with you young people going out there into the world, there is hope for change.

Inside I was wincing. I've heard this argument before. Maybe you have, too. 'Older' people (especially those with position and influence) feel helpless by the admitably terrifying global situation, looking in desperation for a 'savior', and finding bright, young faces who have chosen not to turn away from the despair but to instead walk into the grimy battlefield armed with little more than some knowledge and some compassion and the hope that they won't die immediately.

There's some truth to the sentiment - young people can and do make a difference. But, realistically, most young people - including myself - are rarely in a position to make the kind of difference we would like. I'm not saying it never happens. Martin Luther King, Jr, was just over 30. And then there was Jesus, also around 30. Those two certainly made a mark on history. But many of us will graduate the MA degree and go into relatively junior positions in different institutions, many of which will have mission statements we 70% agree with. Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to influence a few decisions and touch people's lives in a positive way. This is good. (I strongly prefer this to not having a job, which is another real possibility). Many of us will still wonder what more we could be doing. Just like my professor does.

The world will not be 'saved' without 'young people'. But the young people are not going to save the world by themselves. And what, really, do we mean by 'saving'? The underlying conversations around 'saving' (and around 'apocalypse') have a distinctly religious background - let's dig a bit deeper into that history.

The word 'to save' has its roots in a Hebrew word meaning, 'to make space for.' It means recognizing the other as worthy of space; as worthy of life. The 'other' could mean another person, or a child, or a species. There are many interpretations about who, exactly, creates space for someone else. Is it the child that creates space for the parents to become parents, or the parents that create space for the child to be a child - to be alive? Or do we create space for ourselves?

In the context of climate change, I believe we must create space for one another. You can not save me unless I am also saving you. My tiny actions of not flying on planes will mean very little unless you choose to save me (and yourself) by also not flying. Or by passing laws that forbid both of us from flying.

How about, instead of expecting young people (or the G 20, or Obama, or even just ourselves) to be 'the savior', we recognize the imperative of partnership? Next time someone expresses despair or frustration over the state of the world, perhaps that is the time to take a deep breath, and create space for that person - and for yourself - and say, Right. So. What can we do about this - together?

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Sara Wolcott 15 March 2009

Thanks Brian! I love the idea of 'river keepers' - reminds me of some conversations I had with the Work that Reconnects community about Guardianship of the planet - and young people working with elders to become lifetime guardians of certain eco-systems, etc. I hope those students are able to connect with other teenagers and young adults making a difference. 'Young People For' is one of many organizations that connects young people concerned with the planet and society. It's always important that we connect with peers who are going through the same struggles that we are. As much as I want to encourage intergenerational work, I also know that there are some things one can only really share with one's peers!

Sara Wolcott 15 March 2009

Yup! And figuring out what that partnership should look like- one that respects both sides - is not always easy. Too often, the generations fight each other (or hero-ize each other, putting the other on pedestals that they can only fall off of). But when it works well, it's amazing for both.

Carolyn Strange 14 March 2009

Absolutely! I have long abhorred the idea that environmental education is only for kids. It's not only unwholesome to use and manipulate kids, it's unfair to dump the mess on youth. Youth brings energy and hope, and maturity brings wisdom and experience. Partnership is the only way to go.

Brian Wegener 14 March 2009

There are some high school students from Washington County Oregon who are helping make things better. Check out their videos at http://jm.ly/0sF3Nu

Sara Wolcott 13 March 2009

well, certainly an intergenerational alliance is necessary. Though I hope we can move beyond geeks and geezers!

Bruce Elkin 13 March 2009

I like Ken Wilber's notion that the Earth will be saved by a combo of "geeks" and "geezers" -- young tech-savy pre-family activists and reborn 60's boomers seeking meaning and purpose. Could be a potent combo, eh?

Bruce Elkin http://jm.ly/JjhDMF