"When adults make blatant generalizations about our generation, our disinterest in politics, and our disengagement from the real world, they're not seeing the whole picture. They don't see that the older generations who've shaped our society have done a really shitty job of creating a world that we fell inspired to engage with." (5)

"It's not going to be good enough to just pull all the CO₂ out of the atmosphere with a magic technology that allows us to continue course. It's not good enough to keep taking resources from the planet via a different renewable energy source. The challenges we face are bigger than just energy, carbon emissions, or extreme weather events. All that we're up against— our changing climate, fossil-fuel extraction, industrial agriculture— is deeply connected. At the root of all these issues lies a fundamental loss of the piece of our humanity that allows us to see ourselves as a part of a larger system.

Not only have we lost our connection to the earth, but humans have created societies based on the exploitation of the very resources that support our existence. Our dissociation from the natural world has led to the system of self-destruction we see today. We are cutting out critical pieces of of this deeply interdependent web of life, and unless we flip a super-tight one-eighty, it's just a matter of a few years before the entire web unravels.

The truth is, what we do in the next ten years will affect the following thousands of years of life on Earth. And yet we're not doing enough, many are doing nothing, and some still think climate change is not an issue. It's become ridiculously clear that if we want to address the climate crisis, we must completely redesign the narrative around it. Everything from how we think about this issue  to how wee talk about thins issue to how we react to this issue needs to change. We're at a tipping point that requires every conversation around this crisis to result in direct action. We have an opportunity to spread a narrative that invites and inspires solutions— one that is different than what we've seen before." (16-18)

"We can no longer bind the climate movement to a linear idea of political action and traditional activism. Change has to address the deeper societal injustices facing the most vulnerable of our communities. Change has to come from every vertical of our society— from the clubs and house parties we're getting lit at, to the businesses we start, to the way we pursue education, to what we put on our plate and on the Gram. This is bigger and more critical than being an activist. This is recognizing the piece of our humanity that gives us the authority and power to use every action and every step we take to create change, We must infuse the lives we already live as athletes, artists, students, rebels, and dreamers with actions that reflect the actions we all have.

It about all of us. It's about you." (19)

"Like  other marginalized communities, our vulnerability to climate change is heightened by many systems of oppression that have harmed our communities for generations. People of color are being disproportionately hit by warming-driven disasters. Systemic injustices of economic disparity and discriminatory city planning push communities  of color to the greatest danger zones for flooding and superstorms." (23)

"... climate change is an issue that reaches beyond city limits and across borders. Studies out of Colorado University have link migration from Mexico to drought and extreme weather events. As Mexican farmers' land dries up, they're more likely to come north for shelter and work. One study predicts that 10 percent of Mexicans ages fifteen to sixty-five could move north because of the climate crisis. The result could potentially displace millions of people and magnify existing political tensions over immigration. The same is true for other countries in Central America where extended drought  is forcing people from their homes. The irony is that the nations discriminating against immigrants are the ones responsible for releasing the most carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is creating the conditions that are causing more people to seek refuge." (25)

" Like in the United States, Europe has seen an increase in people seeking refuge from climate-related conflict, which has led to a rise in racism and xenophobia. This anti-immigrant sentiment contributed to the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom and the rise of nationalistic right-wing parties in many countries throughout Europe. Half of the greenhouse gases are being emitted by Europe and North America, but the people experiencing the worst impacts of climate change are in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Southern Asia, and low-lying island nations." (28)

"There was a time when [Republicans] were also talking about defeating climate change. Both George H.W. Bush and John McCain ran on it. But in 2004, Americans for Prosperity was founded by the Koch brothers as a political action committee (PAC). Right-wing billionaires simultaneously used this PAC to convince Republicans to vote against climate action with a 'no climate tax' pledge and funded climate-denial propaganda. The scheme worked, and now Republicans won't touch climate change. The truth is that climate change is not a partisan issue. A superstorm doesn't ask your political affiliation before wiping away your home. All these imaginary borders exist in order to disempower us, and they keep our movements fragmented and divided. And it's going to take us dropping these artificial barriers of partisan politics to really get down to solutions." (32-33)

"From the coast to bustling cities to rural farm communities, our existence is inseparable from our environment. The progress we make must be anchored in the wisdom of our ancestors, who taught us that honoring our connection to the earth is the most sacred gift of all." (35)

"Climate solutions need to take economic justice into account because if we perpetuate the same old top-down systems, we won't be able to solve our crisis holistically.

One idea that's taken the United States by storm is the Green New Deal, proposed by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey. It's estimated that this initiative would create eighteen million jobs nationally and get us off fossil fuels in just over a decade. The front-end costs of the GND are perhaps the most important investment those in power will ever make. ... If we skimp on the problem now, we're going to have to pay a lot more later." (39)

"As we rebuild our communities in a way that sustains life, we have an opportunity to build a more just society. In the book The Green Collar Economy, Van Jones outlines the way this transition wouldn't just be beneficial for our environment but, if done correctly, would revitalize conditions for inner-city communities. Stepping into the future of our economies in the right way means less poverty, fewer people in prison, less air pollution, and a better future for America's poorest neighborhoods. But if the transition is run entirely by Silicon Valley and big energy businesses, the people that need this the most will be the last to receive its benefits.

This is much larger than simply transitioning energy systems to save the planet. What needs to shift is our extraction-based economy that is unjust at its foundation. Through us reimagining our economies, we can build more resilient communities, create millions of clean jobs, save a lot of lives and money (both good things), and implement a financial system that balances the health of people, the planet, and dat cash moneyyyy [sic]. We just gotta be quick enough to implement it before this whole ship crashes. Time is money, and we're running out fast." (41-42)

"... the youth of the world are continuing to rise to power and shape our culture. From Black Lives Matter to the LGBTQIA+ movement yo FridaysForFuture and the March for Our Lives, we are flooding the scene and showing the world that we are not willing to quietly wait for change to be made on our behalf." (59)

"So where do you fit into all this? The misconception that activism has to look and feel a certain way is dying out as our generation is rejecting the limitations placed on us and seeing the bigger picture. Maybe you see yourself as an architect who will build more energy-efficient homes. Maybe you see yourself as a farmer growing local, delicious, organic food for your community. Maybe you see yourself as an artist who will help expand people's consciousness.

Being a part of these movements begins where you're inspired to plug in. Just in the last few years, I've seen support coming from the most  random places. And it's blown me away. From seeing pro boxer Mikey Garcia cosign the Earth Guardians movement, to collaborating with Jaden Smith, to getting requests to add an installation about the movement in one of the biggest museums in Vietnam, I've seen more diverse tactics and approaches than ever before. Billions of years of evolution have created the perfect conditions for humans to exist, and in the same way that we've disrupted that sacred balance, we have the power as a global community to restore it— to create more prosperity and justice than ever before. I believe the climate crisis can inspire the best in humanity. It is challenging us to be our most creative, resilient, visionary selves.

We can protect our communities from climate disaster without being swept away by fear. We can enjoy all this planet has to offer while ensuring that future generations will have the same opportunities. We can challenge everything broken about our world while keeping our focus on the solutions we want to build.

It's on us, it's on you, to reclaim your power, to play your part in one of the most significant moments in history. Scientists project that we have a decade to reduce the greatest impacts of our climate crisis. These are about to be the wildest ten years of our lives. I believe in our generation's power to rise to the challenge, meet this deadline, and change history. Taking that first step, no matter how small, is up to you.

Are you in?" (61-63)