A web search on “youth environmental leadership” yields only 150 hits, yet a search for “blueberry muffins” yields almost 14,000! Props to the blueberry muffin people; however, this is but a small testament to the overwhelming need for resources and individuals dedicated to advocating youth environmental leadership, the key to the future of our planet. Hopefully, this article will be but a grain of sand on the vast beach on environmental resources you will use on your journey to help save the planet. With dedication, passion, and ownership of collective action, you can be a crashing wave that makes a real and meaningful difference in the plights of the natural world.

Every day 137 species of wildlife become extinct, an area the size of New York City of rainforest is cut down, and hundreds of people are infected with illnesses as the result of unclean water and air. The threats to our planet are increasing every day, and the sustainability of our world is in need of help more than ever. The burden of saving our planet lies on the shoulders of our generation, and not since the birth of the modern environmental movement has the call been so loud

But how could I, a mere high school student, make a difference in working to save the planet? Well, it simply starts with you, and it needs to start now. I was planting trees and telling people not to pull flowers out of the park where I grew up since I was in elementary school. Being an environmental leader means being consistent in your actions and your concern for the environment or nature. Be sure that your lifestyle matches the message you are saying as an environmentalist. Recycle, make eco-conscious decisions about the purchases you make, and try walking and using public transportation instead of driving everywhere. Being an environmental leader starts with being an environmental citizen.

Leadership starts with the self but inevitably involves influencing the actions of others. The best way to get your friends and family involved in helping the environment is to set the example and teach them the issues. Know the issues, the facts surrounding them, and the resources available in your community. Familiarize yourself with your city or campus recycling program, local environmental groups, and issues particularly affecting your community. In Florida, we have a lot of problems with water pollution and habitat conservation, and so I started in college getting involved with watershed groups and conservation education programs. Get involved in local projects to help clean up streams or even something as simple as planting trees in a local park. Then invite people you know, classmates, family, and others, to help out. Most people are willing to do community service for a good cause, and you can really sell the fun of being outdoors and spending time together. Ask your teachers, religious leaders, or other community leaders to make announcements at meetings about projects coming up with which you are working.

Protecting the planet starts at home and in your communities, but there are some fantastic opportunities to get involved with amazing organizations doing work across your state, the country, and even all over the world. Many high school students travel around their state doing environmental work, and some people even take time after high school and before college to do research or service work for the environment. Do not be afraid to have a discussion with your parents or guardian about these types of opportunities, which could include summer camp, service, or research programs. Check out the websites at the end of this article to see what kind of opportunities there are to get involved in online or real communities of young leaders doing environmental work.

Environmental leadership is not just for environmental activists. If you are interested in business, art, medicine, or any field, you need to become an environmental citizen and leader. Environmental issues affect every field in today’s world. If you want to be a doctor, you need to realize the impact air quality standards have on human health, or perhaps you want to be an artist or musician. Some of the most amazing inspirations come from the natural world, and you need to work to protect it. Everyone needs to be involved.

Another important area in need of eco-conscious leadership is within the private sector. Companies, factories, and all businesses are subject to environmental regulations and need to have ownership of how their business affect the environment. It will be up to you, the future leaders of America, to ensure that your companies and organizations are doing what they can to decrease their ecological footprints, or how much their work hurts the planet. They need to recycle in the office, limit the amount of pollution their operations contribute, and work to make sure their actions and decisions are in the best interest of the company, community, AND the environment. Making this happen in the future will depend on the leadership that you bring into the sectors in which you work.

The last point in need of discussion is how bringing leadership to a wide variety of social issues is just as important as being conscious of environmental issues. Because humans and the environment are invariably connected, all issues affecting humans will have some impact on the environment, and vice versa. Believe it or not, issues such as health care, discrimination, and population growth all have significant impacts on environmental issues. Conversely, pollution, waste management, and habitat destruction all affect the health and quality of life of people in those communities. Being environmental leaders means being aware of the plights that affect societies and human populations as well as working to protect ecosystems and wildlife populations.

The important thing to realize is that all of this is overwhelming; however, all it takes for you is to start at home. Getting involved in environmental community service, making your home eco-friendly, and talking to your friends and family about the environment will make all the difference in the world.

I hope that you have heard the call and are ready to be an environmental leader.

Michael Gale has dedicated his life working for the conservation of the environment and wildlife. While studying zoology and wildlife conservation at the University of Florida, Michael became involved in environmental service. He volunteered for the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Watershed Action Volunteers, the Sierra Club, and participated in a Florida Alternative Breaks trip to help staff from the Nature Conservancy plant over 12,000 trees in a Georgia nature preserve. Michael also served as the Environmental Affairs Cabinet Director for the UF Student Government where he coordinated UF Earth Day activities, clean-up projects, and helped build community among campus environmental leaders through retreats and co-programs. After graduating, Michael worked for the American Zoo and Aquarium Association in their Government Affairs department researching marine mammal and large cat trading policy. Currently, he works for 20/20 Vision, a disarmament and environmental protection organization in Washington, D.C. Michael will be leaving next year to read for a M.Sc. in Zoology from the University College Galway on a George Mitchell Scholarship. Michael is a Truman and Udall Scholar, and was First Runner-up for the Florida College Student of the Year competition. He can be emailed at divrsify@hotmail.com.

To learn more about 20/20 Vision, visit their website at www.2020vision.org

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