Page 15 - 實中園地 第廿六卷第二期

The Newsletter of NEHS 110年第 26卷第 2期 實中園地

Environmental Activism from a Gen Z Perspective

雙語部 Kai-Yuan (Karen) Tsung ( 從愷芸 ) 撰稿

Youth activism: is it worth listening to? What can mere teenagers offer to the table?
My answer to those: yes, and a lot. My name is Kai-Yuan (Karen) Tsung ( 從愷芸 ). I am now involving
myself in oceanic and environmental issues, and I hope that other youth can consider a similar road of
activism.
I joined the Ocean Affairs Council’s Ocean Challenge in 2019 because it was one of the few
competitions Taiwan had that was conducted in English. Marine issues were relevant to the AP Biology
course I was taking, and I thought I could actually use this opportunity to convey my ideas. I have to say, it
was a bit of a mess for me: there wasn’t that much of a support system, and as sophomore students, we didn’t
know how to come up with elaborate solutions to such large issues even the scientific community is facing.
I think one of the major flaws with the competition is that we were all focused on one topic—plastic, yet we
couldn’t say anything other than “we should all reduce our use of plastic” and how “plastic waste in oceans is
increasing at such alarming rates every year.” Globally, this is one of the largest problems with environmental
activism: we acknowledge the detrimental effects climate change and human activities have had on our
environment, but we don’t take real action other than posting on social media or remembering to use metal
straws once in a while. I’m guilty of this too, but I’m trying to change that, and I’m hoping for others to do so
too. Slacktivism increases awareness of issues, but we cannot guarantee that any plausible change will occur.
Another issue prominent worldwide regarding youth activism is the noninclusion of youth or lack of
meaningful engagement in ocean literacy and environmental policies in youths’ own respective nations.
First, environmental issues should not be politicized in any shape or form. It’s bad enough that we sacrifice
the environment for our short term gains, but it’s even worse when people assume you support or despise
a party just because of your thoughts on preservation of the environment. Second, environmental issues
being “too complex for youth to understand” or “way out of curriculums and therefore shouldn’t be focused
on” is entirely untrue and is used as a means to shut young people out of these conversations. It’s complex,
but we are capable of realizing and acknowledging. As a part of the Gen Z community, I can say that we
are all trying to change these barriers that prevent us from participating in issues that will affect us in the
near future. Third, tokenizing our voices by putting us in “unofficial” positions or not providing us with
any opportunities, position, or power greatly prevents us from being involved in important decision making
that will impact us and our future generations. I have seen in many instances and felt that adults have often
allowed me to join the conversation on the table or encourage my perspectives, all the while getting this
“image” of youth inclusivity that helps their company branding in various sorts.
At the end of the day, what I want to get across is simple: I don’t want you “feeling sorry” for the
environment—that’s the easy part. Of course, I don’t represent the needs or wants of all youth, but these are
steps that should be taken into consideration for the next few years, and for hope in the UN Ocean Decade.
We have to delve into the complexities of the issue: actually engaging. While there’s no set way to do this,
we can all definitely start building networks with other youth around the world, see their successes as well as
shortcomings, and together improve this global movement. Envision our long-term future objectives instead
of your short-term gains; listen to what we have to offer instead of brushing us aside; embrace our various
perspectives for the future instead of leaving us out of important decisions.

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