Jon Mays’ Aug. 26 column “Supporting educators” did a great job bringing attention to the hard-hit community of teachers, school staff, students and families who have been struggling to recover from COVID and its fallout. While it’s comforting to imagine that a return to normalcy for schools is coming soon, the reality seems otherwise. Each week we hear reports of more catastrophes intensified by climate change. Megafires, megafloods, record-breaking heat — the news is everywhere. This can lead to “eco-anxiety,” “climate anxiety” or even depression about a planet that is falling to pieces. An estimated 83% of Gen-Z Americans report feeling concern for the health of the planet. It’s sobering to fear a future that won’t be safe.
So, what can be done to support youth and teachers? Climate change education programs that include a local perspective can help. Education can reframe a vast problem (global warming) into an exploration of tangible actions one can do in one’s own neighborhood. Two programs doing this already in San Mateo County are the Youth Climate Ambassadors (for high schoolers) and You(th) Be the Change (for middle school educators and students). Both include an emphasis on learning about potential solutions, and give students or teachers more apathy-fighting tools, like communications training, to add to their arsenals.
As COVID moves off center stage, I hope that schools will think bigger picture and resource programs to address our climate crisis — one that’s not going away any time soon.
Dear Ms. Chou - isn't your chicken-little LTE a self fulfilling prophecy?This can lead to “eco-anxiety,” “climate anxiety” or even depression about a planet that is falling to pieces. An estimated 83% of Gen-Z Americans report feeling concern for the health of the planet. It’s sobering to fear a future that won’t be safe.
Isn't it wonderful that the secular world has found a way to worry about things they cannot change? Every generation has its zealots predicting the end of days is upon us. SMH I think it helpful to teach children how often science of the day is wrong.
I will hang my hat elsewhere. My progeny will hear both sides of the climate change debate and the serenity prayer. If permitted, wisdom spans both the secular and religious worlds.
From this letter, it sounds like Gen-Z Americans should expand their breadth of media, perform some in-depth research, or stop filling out polls that have only two questions: select A if you feel a “lot” of concern for the planet (90 on a scale of 0-100), select B if you feel “not as much” concern for the planet (80 on a scale of 0-100).
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Dear Ms. Chou - isn't your chicken-little LTE a self fulfilling prophecy?This can lead to “eco-anxiety,” “climate anxiety” or even depression about a planet that is falling to pieces. An estimated 83% of Gen-Z Americans report feeling concern for the health of the planet. It’s sobering to fear a future that won’t be safe.
Isn't it wonderful that the secular world has found a way to worry about things they cannot change? Every generation has its zealots predicting the end of days is upon us. SMH I think it helpful to teach children how often science of the day is wrong.
I will hang my hat elsewhere. My progeny will hear both sides of the climate change debate and the serenity prayer. If permitted, wisdom spans both the secular and religious worlds.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer
From this letter, it sounds like Gen-Z Americans should expand their breadth of media, perform some in-depth research, or stop filling out polls that have only two questions: select A if you feel a “lot” of concern for the planet (90 on a scale of 0-100), select B if you feel “not as much” concern for the planet (80 on a scale of 0-100).
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.