launched Zero Hour, a movement for youth rights and action on climate change. Margolin and her teammates have formed a nationwide coalition that inspires and mobilizes students throughout the U.S. and in London, England. Tey took to the streets on July 21 to march for environmental justice as social justice. Zero Hour activities supporting
the Washington, D.C., march included meeting with nearly 40 federal lawmakers and presenting a manifesto of demands. It calls for governments and companies to take action on all climate change and environmental issues, including divesting from fossil fuels; increasing investment in renewable energy; legislating strict carbon reduction targets; encouraging plant-based lifestyles; schooling youth on the importance of reducing our carbon footprint; reducing excessive use of single- use plastic; ending rainforest deforestation; halting all animal cruelty; and preventing loss of biodiversity and species extinctions. Margolin and other Zero Hour
members agree, including Nadia Nazar, 16, an art director from Baltimore,
Republic of the Congo. Tey jointly developed the organization’s platform. “It’s our generation that is going to be impacted the most by the effects of accelerated climate change that we are causing. Tis march is a launch. We’re not done,” says Margolin. At a pivotal time in which many
If not us, then who; if not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something.
~Do Something by Matthew West, singer/songwriter
Maryland; Zanagee Artis, 18, a logistics director from Clinton, Connecticut; and Kibiriti Majuto, 20, of Charlottesville, Virginia, originally from the Democratic
theorize that our nation lacks the ability to coalesce around a great enterprise to solve existing problems, it appears that those doing the calculating have not factored in the millions of motivated young people as critical decision makers. It may be that their imagination, energetic drive, passionate self- confidence and “no borders” cooperation paves the way to a brighter future for all. Not waiting for the torch to be
passed, young people are seizing it and acting now, no longer naively thinking that there will always be enough time tomorrow.
Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at
LindaSechrist.com.
24
Central Florida
Dmytro Zinkevych/
Shutterstock.com
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