Materials for Activity

• Optional: Computer with Internet access

Preparation for Activity

• Visit the Kids vs. Global Warming website, also known as the I Matter Youth Movement. If your meeting space has Internet access, plan to have participants use a computer to visit the website. Or, visit the website before the workshop and print relevant pages to show to the group.

Description of Activity

Participants learn about Kids vs. Global Warming and practice an earth-friendly activity.

Explain, in your own words:

Kids vs. Global Warming is an organization created and headed by teenager Alec Loorz. Alec had applied to be a presenter for Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth project but was turned away for being too young. He was disappointed, but decided he would create his own organization, which is now globally recognized. Alec's experience reminds us that if we want to do something important, we must keep trying. There's always another—and often better—way to accomplish something if our first idea does not pan out.

The mission of Kids vs. Global Warming is "to educate youth about the science of global warming, and empower them to take action." The organization does presentations, creates Global Warming Action Teams of youth working for environmental change, supports community activism, and provides training sessions for youth who want to become involved.

Kids vs. Global Warming thinks the starting point is to green things up in your own back yard. Their website says,

"We encourage all new activist teams to plant trees at their school to make their commitment to fighting global warming something concrete and real. Imagine how awesome that would be if every school in our country planted ten trees."

Invite the youth to peruse the Kids vs. Global Warming website. Or, share materials you have printed from the website.

Lead a discussion. Suggest these ways the youth might get involved:

• Partner with other youth at school to become local activists against climate change.
• Request a presentation from an organization working against climate change.
• Create an organization or club to work for environmental sustainability.
• Organize with friends a tree planting at a local school or park. Be sure to plan follow-up care for the trees. They need regular tending to survive their first year, and that's part of your gift to the earth, too.

Encourage the group to follow through on plans that interest them. Assign the next action steps and plan a follow-up meeting.