Greta Thunberg spoke to the US Congress today. So news headlines tell me. I have been thinking a lot about her lately. I watched her on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. She was very articulate but her words were halting. She struggled sometimes to find the words. We all do. But watching her slight self in that big seat with only a thin hoodie shielding her from the media glare, I felt a maternal instinct creeping up. The respect I have for her bravery and composure is mixed with a frustration - with myself and the world - that we are letting our children fight for us in the front lines.
Doesn’t this shame you all?
Throughout the past year, my kids and I have had an ongoing discussion about the student protests, the so-called climate strikes. Their school is not immune and some of their peers also take up placards. I’m the last person to dissuade anyone from speaking out, but who gains from these children taking a day to protest? The kids will have missed their lessons - and that’s a financial setback for the parents, who pay in tuition the equivalent of a mortgage. One school day missed costs the same as a hotel stay. That’s an opportunity cost.
Some argue that they are making an investment in their future. A noble objective but I am not sure that this is the best pathway towards that goal. Student protesters are a great story for the news media, but again, why them? Where are the adults? Sure, there are some adults in the mix. But why are we not having a global Bankers’ Climate Strike? That would be a disruption, although I suppose management may just invest more in digital banking. What about a movement called Convenience Stores Against Climate Change? Again, disruptive. But this doesn’t sit well either. Many people working in convenience stores make minimum wage and are dependent on the work. They should not bear the struggle for the rest of us.
Which brings me back to Greta Thunberg. Isn’t our fascination with her a type of voyeurism? Few will admit this. When I see her, I am inspired. But I also want to turn away. I don’t want to be part of the martyrdom of this child, a target of bullies on social media. Greta doesn’t mind the spotlight but I do. Some say to her, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you. What if that future is marred by some trauma of what she is experiencing now? The scrutiny, the taunting, the smears. We write Op-eds condemning her critics, screaming Don’t Bully Children. Yet we perpetuate a news cycle that places her front and center.
And it’s not just her. I am speaking for all the children that have become the foot soldiers in our efforts to thwart climate change.
We should be better than this. If you are over 20 years old, get your skates on. Do what you can, as much as you can, to contribute to reducing emissions. Canvas, lobby, write, protest, conserve, plant trees, choose impossible burgers, choose public transport. Whatever the children are doing, we can do too - and should. Greta Thunberg is right. We are not trying hard enough. But we should also take our place on the front lines and let our children be children while they still can.
