Kids on Climate Change - Part 1

With recent protests on climate change bringing awareness to the fact that for the younger generations, the planet is going to need some serious saving, I interviewed my younger sisters (aged 9 and 6) to see how aware the younger generation really is. Where do they get their information and do they know what needs to be done for their planet?

Animals

Do you know what Climate Change is?

I: Climate change, basically, I’m not sure how it’s happening but it’s something to do with pollution. The air is getting too hot, especially in places like Antarctica because for polar bears, the ice is melting so they end up getting stranded on blocks of ice way out to sea - away from the rest of their family when they’re trying to find food.

Why do you think this is happening?

I: Because we’re not looking after our planet. We drive our cars too much – we’re perfectly able to walk places.

S: Yeah, you should walk because then you’re not making pollution. And loads and loads and loads of people drive their cars.

What could we be doing about the way that we eat that might help the planet?

I: Eat less processed meat, like chicken. Either meat that has been better produced or if you want, no meat at all. Just less processed foods.

How does the food process add to the problems we’re facing?

I: I don’t actually know, I’m just thinking it might be one of those causes

S: Do you know what my lunch was on Friday? Guess.

I: Fish and chips?

S: No, because I’m vegetarian.

What was your lunch?

S: Veggie hot dogs

So, you’re six years old and you’re a vegetarian – why did you want to be vegetarian?

S: Some meat I don’t actually like

I: And she doesn’t eat a lot of it anyway.

Why is eating less meat better for the planet?

I: Because you kill more animals eating meat, and some animals you need for the world.

S: Some animals are actually veg.

I: They are vegetarian, some animals, is what she meant to say.

Do you know anything about Extinction Rebellion? What do you think they do?

I: Also! Cutting down trees

Yes, we need to stop doing that

I: Because we need oxygen and if we don’t have oxygen, we won’t survive. The less trees we get the less population there’ll be

S: What was I gonna say again?

I: It starts with bees, because bees pollinate and give the trees oxygen and they let out the oxygen for us so we can live. So technically we need to stop harming bees as well and doing things that kill them

How are we harming bees?

I: Well, the population of bees is now a lot less than it was, like, 11 months ago or something like that. It’s gone down a lot. It’s like 3% less than it was or something.

S: A bee went in my eye once.

Going back to Extinction Rebellion, they are a group that holds protests – what do you think they're protesting against?

I: The extinction of animals

Yeah, they’re trying to stop unfair treatment of animals, trying to get us to look after our planet better

S: Also… I keep forgetting my sentences. Instead of making vegetables and fruit go moldy you should eat them sooner so you’re more healthy

I: Even if you’re not vegetarian, it’s worth eating less meat anyway

S: Or pescatarian, so you can still eat fish. At school I am veggie but I still eat fish, not all the time though.

Fish is a tricky one because if we keep fishing there’s not going to be any fish left – but for me personally I still eat fish because it keeps me healthy

S: And penguins can’t eat if there’s no fish

Exactly – if we get rid of one thing in the food chain and everything else goes as well

I: If you want to eat meat sometimes, that’s fine, just eat less of it

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Watch this space for Kids on Climate Change: Part 2, live tomorrow!