Dear EarthTalk:

Any ideas on how to engage my slacker teenager on issues of climate and environment?

Name Withheld

Climate change details the rapid increase of Earth’s temperature resulting from the excessive emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. When relaying this explanation to a teenager, you might describe it as actively threatening the livelihood of the planet humanity calls home, and that if we continue to not regulate the growth of this phenomenon, we will be in very big trouble. Whatever way you explain it, climate change will affect future generations to come.

New Jersey was the first state to uphold and require climate education in schools, incorporating climate education in 2020 in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Connecticut followed suit right after. However, in the rest of the U.S., climate education, when present, is not primarily focused on in science curriculums. So your child is no slacker if the education being taught is slacking!

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There are certain ways, however, that your young people can become educated on climate issues, and that is through incorporating genuine entertainment with education. One of the things that interests teenagers are video games, simulations that many people’s eyes are glued to, adults and teens alike.

One game, in particular, stands out: Mission 1.5’s mobile game. The game lets a user play for a certain time, and when an ad pops up, instead of advertising a product, the ad serves to educate the user on climate issues. Not only that, Mission 1.5, among others, further asks users to vote on the best ways to lead on in the fight for climate change, prompting further thought.

“Fast Forward (to today), we have about six million people that have played the game so far in 58 countries…. when people start it, they really play it, which is something we’re really excited about,” United Nations Development Programme Cassie Flyn explains to UN News.

For a more hands on approach, intrigue your youngsters in hand-made projects that are both fulfilling and fun. For example, edible greenhouse projects, which use toothpicks and gumdrops to recreate models of gases that contribute to global warming. These science projects contain simple methodologies that are expeditious for parents to set up for their child.

Teen-only focused group settings can stimulate more of an interest in climate issues rather than only with an adult as well. It’s important to still maintain an attitude of companionship and hope between one’s peers regarding issues of our climate to engage youth. Disinterest can go away in an instant if one’s teen is immersed in the material through doing activities that appeal to their way of learning. 

CONTACTS

• New Jersey Department of Education, nj.gov/education/climate/learning/gradeband/
• We Are Teachers; https://www.weareteachers.com/climate-change-activities/; Cassie Flynn,news.un.org/en/story/2022/05/1119292.

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