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Three girl activists who know the value...asha Harris-Harb _ UNGEI Blog _ Medium

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Animal Population Control - American Humane Society

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All cats and dogs adopted from animal care facilities should be spayed or neutered Pet “overpopulation” encompasses two primary factors: (1) allowing cats and dogs to reproduce with little chance to find homes for the offspring and (2) pets being relinquished by owners who can no longer keep their animals, or who no longer want […]

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Life after Bully: Teenage star of hit documentary finally escapes his tormentors... and finds happiness in new school

Alex Libby's life has changed since he featured in the hit anti-bullying documentary, Bully.

The highschool freshman now has other students come up and hug him in the corridors, has good friends and gets on well with his teachers.

The unlikely fame has potentially saved him from becoming one of two thousand American teenagers who have committed suicide because of relentless aggression from their peers.

Some 13million schoolchildren in the U.S. are victims of bullying, with 3million absent from class each month because they cannot cope with the torment.

The award-winning documentary by Lee Hirsh follows five kids and families over the course of a school year, including two families who have lost children to suicide because of bullying.

Alex agreed to take part in Bully in the hope that his persecutors would stop tormenting him.

He didn't realise that the brave act would bring him national notoriety, a trip to the White House and a chat with a beauty pageant winner.

Much of the bullying took place on the school bus, on which Kim Lockwood, assistant principal of East Middle School in Sioux City, Iowa, insisted the kids were 'as good as gold'.

Alex knew different.

'Most of the kids on that bus, I knew from elementary school, and we were good friends then,' he said in the documentary.

'But then in middle school, everything changes, and it's all about popularity and who dresses the best and who's the most athletic and who has the best hair. I was not the kid with the best hair.'

The bullies in Iowa called him 'fishface'. They threatened to break his bones, sexually assault him and kill him.

Perhaps, more crucially, the bullies scared away other kids who were his genuine buddies.

'I craved friends. I didn't have any friends. That was all I wanted, some friendship, someone to come over, someone to lift me back up when I'm knocked down. I didn't have that, he said.

However, today things have changed dramatically, reports the Des Moines Register .

A move to a new school, Edmond Memorial School in Oklahoma, has broken the cycle of bullying but Alex is also enjoying his unlikely fame and has become a spokesperson for the bullying cause.

He wears a T-shirt that says, 'I stand for the silent'.

Alex is not the only one: the documentary has already been seen by over 90,000 American schoolchildren and has 97,000 'likes' on its Facebook page .

Watch the video:

Watch the documentary trailer:

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Life after Bully: Teenage star of hit documentary finally escapes his tormentors... and finds happiness in new school

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Alex Libby's life has changed dramatically since he featured in the anti-bullying documentary, Bully. After leaving the school in Iowa he has now settled in a new school in Oklahoma.

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A teenage girl, Greta Thunberg, has become the world-famous face of the climate strike movement. But she's far from alone: Thunberg has helped rally and inspire others - especially girls.

NPR talked to four teenage climate activists, all girls, from the U.S. and Australia, alongside their mothers. These teenagers are juggling activism with schoolwork and personal time. And their families are working hard to support them as they grapple with the heavy emotions that come with fighting for the future.

In Castlemaine, Australia, Milou Albrecht, 15, co-founded School Strike for Climate Australia, which organizes student walkouts. As massive bush fires engulf parts of her home country, Albrecht's group has been pressuring the German corporation Siemens to withdraw from an Australian coal mining project.

In New York City, Xiye Bastida, 17, led her school in the city's first big student climate strike last March, and along with traveling and public speaking, she and some of her classmates have continued to strike on Fridays ever since. ("Gym is on Fridays, so I have a very low grade in gym," she notes.)

In Louisiana, 16-year-old Jayden Foytlin was one of 21 young people who sued the federal government for violating their rights to a livable planet. The young plaintiffs hailed from communities around the country that have been directly affected by global warming - Foytlin, for example, is from south Louisiana, where her home has been flooded in storms.

The lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, was recently thrown out by a federal appeals court. But Foytlin says she's formed lasting friendships with the other plaintiffs. "We all share one thing in common - we really care about where we're from, and how we are going to continue to live [here]."

In upstate New York, Scout Pronto Breslin, 16, is focused on wildlife. She lives in Rhinebeck, and is the founder of a group called Hudson Valley Wild. "I volunteer at a wildlife rehab clinic," she says, explaining what motivated her activism."The birds there often come in with blood poisoning because of illegal toxins from chemical runoff and fertilizer."

Pronto Breslin advises other teens to find what really interests them about the climate movement. She says it could be composting in their schools, gardening, nature: "Once you find something that you really love, then that will just give you motivation to keep going with it."
Girls to the front
It's no coincidence that teenage girls are especially visible right now as climate leaders, says Katharine Wilkinson.

"The youth movement is such a great example of the way in which girls and young women are stepping into the heart of this space, and showing us what it looks like to lead with courage and imagination and incredible moral clarity."

Wilkinson works with a solutions-focused climate organization called Project Drawdown, and delivered a TED talk on how empowering women and girls can help stop global warming.

"When we think about the nexus of climate and gender, there are three big points of intersection," she tells NPR.

"One is that the impacts of climate change hit women and girls first and worst," particularly in the developing world and in poor communities.

The second, she says, is that "gender equality is itself a climate solution," with women's education and equity leading to smaller family sizes and, research shows, better land management practices.

And the third is what Wilkinson calls "transformational leadership that is grounded in intersectional feminism and what we might consider more feminine approaches to leading."

We all need to save the world. It's not up to girls. As much as we admire and love what they're doing. It also doesn't absolve us of responsibility.

Scout Pronto Breslin's mother, Jennifer Breslin, used to work on gender equity issues at the United Nations. She agrees with Wilkinson: "I think it's really amazing how many young women are involved in this."

On the other hand, she says, "I don't believe 'Girls are going to save the world.' We all need to save the world. It's not up to girls. As much as we admire and love what they're doing, it also doesn't absolve us of responsibility."
Raised to care for the Earth
Each of these girls expressed her own, independent commitment to the climate crisis - but it's impossible to ignore the upbringings that sparked their engagement.

"My mom and my dad always taught me what it was to take care of the Earth," Xiye Bastida says.

Bastida - who has been described as New York City's Greta Thunberg - is the daughter of Geraldine Patrick Encina, a scholar in residence at the Union Theological Seminary's Center for Earth Ethics, and an environmental activist since her own teenage years in Chile. Bastida's father is a member of the indigenous Otomi Toltec nation in Mexico, which advocates for the protection of their local water and land.

Patrick Encina says the family follows indigenous traditions. "We will do at least one ceremony, you know, to the waters or to the land frequently, maybe once a week."

Milou Albrecht is the daughter of Susan Burke, a psychologist who works in climate adaptation and disaster recovery. Burke and her husband raised their three children for years in an eco-friendly, rural, intentional community. Albrecht says she grew up going to environmental protests, and that they were "heaps of fun."

Social justice was part of Scout Pronto Breslin's upbringing, too. Aside from her mother's work in areas including sustainable development, her father was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa, and currently works for the U.N.

And Jayden Foytlin's mother is Cherri Foytlin, a direct action climate activist of Afro-Latina-Indigenous descent who is known for opposing an oil pipeline in south Louisiana.

"Some families, they go to baseball games or ballerina concerts," notes Cherri. "Well, it's always been a family function for us to go to marches or meetings or meet with the community and learn how to organize."

It's always been a family function for us to go to marches or meetings or meet with the community and learn how to organize.

All of the teenagers, however, made the point that they had friends in the movement whose parents were less aware, less involved or less supportive than their own.

"I have a few friends whose parents will tell them, 'You can not go to that meeting until you finish your homework,' or, 'You have to stop skipping school on Fridays,' " says Xiye Bastida. She calls it "a very fine line because no parent wants their kid to fail school."
Supporting, but also stepping back
Young climate change activists need support, they and their parents say, especially emotional support. "The toughest moments have been when Xiye just needs a hug," says her mother, Patrick Encina.

Climate change is enormous and tragic. It feels very personal to young people in particular, who are more likely than older generations to say that it impacts them personally. That makes it similar to other youth-led movements, such as Black Lives Matter and the March for Our Lives movement against gun violence.

The toughest moments have been when Xiye just needs a hug.

At the same time, eco-anxiety, depression and secondary traumatic stress are normal psychological reactions to learning about the reality of human-caused environmental destruction. That's according to psychologist Renee Lertzman, who has been working in this area for decades. She compares the situation of these teenagers to her own upbringing in the nuclear age.

"Anyone who's my age knows what it's like to grow up with the threat of nuclear war around you all the time, and how terrifying that is," she says. "So I have a lot of empathy and compassion for what it's like to be a young person in the context of an existential threat. I feel concern, and I feel like we need to be thoughtful about how we navigate this."

She says young people need to hear, "It's not all on them."

On the positive side, Susan Burke, Milou Albrecht's psychologist mother, says getting involved with a cause you care about can be protective for mental health. "It's great to take action on things that are worrying you because action is one of the best antidotes to despair and helplessness and hopelessness."

But Burke cautions that this work must be child-led - you can't push your children to get involved.

It's great to take action on things that are worrying you because action is one of the best antidotes to despair and helplessness and hopelessness.

Albrecht says her parents are good at listening and supporting,"but also kind of stepping back and let me do my thing."

Scout Pronto Breslin's mom, Jennifer Breslin, agrees with that approach. "We need to not micromanage them. It's really hard. You kind of want to jump in and say, 'Why don't you try this?' "

Many youth and student groups have created guidelines for adult allies on how to be supportive without taking over.
Balancing school, life and activism
Many activists are also high-achieving students with multiple AP classes and packed schedules. Bastida says to make room for the school strike planning and the traveling and speaking she's doing, she's dropped gymnastics and Model United Nations. No regrets, she says: "Model U.N. is so stressful. I am more nervous about Model U.N. than [lobbying] the actual U.N. Kids are crazy competitive. I'm not trying to be part of that."

Nevertheless, they all say that they have to - and their parents encourage them to - make room for downtime and hobbies.

Foytlin likes to draw and play with her little brother. Bastida likes Netflix and taking baths, and she says, "My dad tells me every day, 'You cannot fix the world if you do not fix up your room.' "

Pronto Breslin likes taking walks in the woods with her golden retriever, Tess; playing the guitar and listening to Elvis and the Beatles. And Albrecht likes gardening.

Each of these girls says it's important to find joy in the moment, and in the friendships they are making as they work for a better future.

"We advocate [so much] for urgency," Bastida says. "We are saying you need to act now. You need to do this fast. But you cannot live your life in that way. And I think that's the trickiest part - how do you live in a state of urgency without feeling that within you? So we have to remain centered not only in our families, but our communities, in organizing. When we organize, we model the world we want to see."

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'You Need To Act Now': Meet 4 Girls Working To Save The Warming World

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"When we organize, we model the world we want to see," says teenager Xiye Bastida. Activist girls like Bastida have been especially visible in the fight against climate change.

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The Teenagers at the End of the World (Published 2020)

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Young climate activists like Jamie Margolin are building a movement while growing up — planning mass protests from childhood bedrooms and during school.

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Newsela | Teen's campaign to promote Black female book characters goes global

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Teen has raised worldwide awareness of the need for more diversity in books

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In November 2020, 24-year-old Britt (@myelasticheart) shared a TikTok of herself talking - in a silly, light-hearted way, she says - about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). She expected a few of her friends to see it, at most, but that's not exactly what happened. "It reached a lot of people," Britt tells Refinery29. Some of these people said that they'd never met anyone else with EDS; others didn't know what it was. "Seeing the excitement that other people had from being able to connect with somebody else who had a disability, I was like, Maybe I'll make more videos and hopefully find a way to connect with people and educate folks about this."

Britt shares several videos a week, often about disability history and current issues, for an audience of over 55,000 followers. Right now, Britt and other activists on TikTok are using the app to raise awareness about the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act, which would - among other things - ensure that people with disabilities don't lose their SSI benefits if they choose to get married or work part-time. But in many of her other videos, Britt discusses her own experiences with EDS and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), answers questions, and celebrates babes with mobility aids. She does a lot of celebrating, actually.

"We grow up learning that 'disabled' is a bad thing. It's something you don't want to be, that to call yourself that is somehow defeatist, that you should be trying to overcome it rather than embracing it," Britt says. "And so I think it's really, really cool to have people sharing the things that they love about being disabled or celebrating their bodies or talking about the unique perspectives that it gives them on the world."

Disabled TikTokkers have found a platform on the app since it first blew up in the U.S. early 2020. Many people attribute TikTok's seemingly overnight success to the early lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic - which was also why 16-year-old Isabel (@powerfullyisa) turned to social media. As a public speaker, disability justice activist, and community organizer, she knew she had to find a way to continue fighting for both policy change and public awareness.

"When everything got shut down and physical organizing was no longer a thing, there was really a lack of a way people could get information about disability rights, because we couldn't physically organize," Isabel tells Refinery29. At first, she mostly shared her work on Instagram. But then she found TikTok, which appealed to her even more as someone with a background in public speaking. "The short form video is a really unique format, because it really humanizes the person behind the screen."

Disability history - even recent events, like the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act - is rarely taught in American schools; some people might not even know that July is Disability Pride Month. Activists like Britt and Isabel hope to fill some of these gaps and teach their followers about the past and present fights for disability rights. "I think that because we have such a lack of education, when people are older and they don't know much about disability at all, if they're open to being educated, they can be," Isabel says. "And I think that's a really great way that disabled people are getting their voices heard."

Online, people with disabilities can tell their own stories - which is crucial, since we rarely see these stories reflected elsewhere. According to a 2020 study conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, there are more disabled characters in movies than ever before, but a lot of that representation is still negative. Out of last year's family-friendly films featuring disabled characters, 22.9% depicted the harmful trope of a character "overcoming" their disability, and 20% showed a disabled character dying. Inspiration porn (that is, stories including characters who are solely defined by their purportedly heartbreaking and "inspirational" disabilities) is still a pop cultural mainstay. Even the very few disabled characters we do see on-screen are more often than not played by able-bodied actors.

As Britt puts it, TikTok is "definitely one of the easiest ways for people to see what it actually looks like to live as somebody with a disability." And for 21-year-old Becca (@tourettesbian), the opportunity to show people who she really is, and what her life is really like, is one of the best parts about TikTok.

Becca used the app and even posted a few videos before she was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome in October 2020. As she went through the "process" of coming to terms with her tics, she started recording and sharing TikToks, and her follower count began to creep up. To date, she's surpassed 600,000 followers, and some of her Q&A videos have garnered tens of thousands of views.

"I think sometimes, people with Tourette's can be seen as aggressive. And their language, because it's inappropriate, it can be quite scary," Becca says. "But I like to share the videos where people see, yeah, I have Tourette's, but personally, I can laugh at it. I can still have fun, I can still just be little me."

Like Britt and Isabel, Becca uses her platform to share information and dispel myths about physical and vocal tics and Tourette's, usually when her followers have questions about her own experiences. But many of her TikToks have a humorous bent. In one ongoing series, Becca "lets her tics decide" the lyrics of popular songs; in others, she turns her tics into inspirational quotes. Her followers often ask if it's okay to laugh, and she always specifies that there's no one-size-fits-all answer.

"It's personal preference for each person if they want people to laugh, but for me, if I'm laughing, it's absolutely fine to laugh with me," Becca tells Refinery29. "As long as you're not laughing at me and [are] being respectful, then it's absolutely fine to laugh. I wouldn't share it if I didn't want people to."

Becca has never met anyone with Tourette's in person, but through TikTok, she's been able to connect with countless people who can relate to her anecdotes and videos. She's made friends, gone Live with other TikTokkers, and even joined a group chat. "I had quite a few people DM me and say, 'Look, I've got Tourette's, and you've really, really helped me feel okay with my condition,'" Becca says. "That was when it dawned on me, like, Oh my God, I'm actually helping people."

By the end of this year's Disability Pride Month, the #DisabilityPride hashtag will be on track to surpass 300 million views, thanks to videos ranging from funny to informative to personal. But even though TikTok fosters a generally positive community, it isn't without faults - there have been ableist trends, and activists say that the app itself isn't as accessible as it could be. People with Tourette's, like Becca, have had their videos removed for violating community guidelines. "They kind of haven't come up with a system yet that works fairly for us, because we can't help what we say," she explains.

And although the option to add automated captions to videos was a big win for disabled creators, the voice recognition software still leaves people behind. "One of my friends has cerebral palsy and the app never recognizes her voice, because the way she speaks sounds different from the average default able-bodied voice," Britt says. Ironically, in this instance, the same people trying to raise awareness about disability rights are facing a specific obstacle preventing them from creating accessible content.

But disability activism on TikTok isn't groundbreaking because of the app - even Britt, Becca, and Isabel themselves are active on other social media platforms. But what's so special about TikTok is that, finally, disabled people have the mic. "So many times, organizations about disability rights are run by non-disabled people," Isabel says. "I think the fact that disabled people themselves are talking for themselves on TikTok, really, is going to be revolutionary."

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How Young Disability Activists Are Using TikTok To Make A Difference

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In November 2020, 24-year-old Britt (@myelasticheart) shared a TikTok of herself talking - in a silly, light-hearted way, she says - about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). She expected a few of her friends to see it, at most, but that's not exactly what happened. "It reached a lot of people," Britt tells Refinery29.

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Deforestation and Forest Degradation | Threats | WWF

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Learn how you can help support WWF’s conservation work which addresses direct and indirect threats, including deforestation, in order to conserve biodiversity and reduce humanity’s ecological footprint.

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: discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities

RESOURCES:

Ableism 101: What it is, what it looks like, and what we can do to fix it

The Americans With Disabilities Act Remains Crucial In The Fight Against Ableism 29 Years Later

What is ableism, and what is its impact?

A comprehensive glossary of ableist terms by disability rights activist Lydia X. Z. Brown

So what, exactly, counts as ableism? How it tends to show up. Examples. Why does it happen? What's the impact? How to avoid it. Questions to ask yourself. Words can have a lasting impact, too. The bottom line.

An excerpt from My Body Is Not a Prayer Request by Amy Kenny. Very good article on ablism and cultural identity.

Disabling Ableism: The Modern Pathway to Inclusion

What is Ableism?

Confronting ableism: What it is and how we can challenge it

Things People With Disabilities Wish You Knew

See also "Eliminating Ableism in Education" THOMAS HEHIR Harvard Educational Review Vol. 72 No. 1 Spring 2002

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ableism noun able·ism | ˈā-bə-ˌli-zəm Definition of ableism : discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. It is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require 'fixing' and defines people by their disability.

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Daphne Frias Celebrates Resilience of Disabled People as an Asset to Fighting Climate Change

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Wavebreakmedia/getty

When people think about diversity, equity and inclusion, it's typical to think about race, gender, and ethnicity, rather than disability. There is often a focus placed on topics like racism and sexism, rather than ableism, the discrimination against those with disabilities.

I have attended many higher education classes and professional development programs, taught at several middle schools and high schools and have worked in the curriculum department. The word ableism was never mentioned or discussed.

What is ableism?

Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice directed at people or groups of people with disabilities or those perceived to have disabilities. It is rooted in the belief that non-disabled people, or those without disabilities, are superior.

Ableism is the idea that people with disabilities are inferior to those without disabilities and need "fixing," isolation or different treatment from their able-bodied counterparts.

Why should we talk about it?

As educators, administrators and parents, it is our duty to know how ableism affects our children. It's also our responsibility to take action to ensure our children are treated fairly and given the proper resources to receive the best education possible.

Educating about ableism in the classroom

Understanding what ableism is and what it looks like provides our children with a safe and fair classroom environment where they all can feel respected and supported.

What does ableism look like in the classroom?

Ableism can take the form of assumptions, stigmas or beliefs about people with disabilities. It also involves stereotypes, attitudes, practices, environmental barriers (physical and mental), or larger-scale discrimination like refusing disabled people work or schooling opportunities. In the classroom, it is not much different.

Lack of recourse

Ableism can occur through mockery of a student's disability or even the denial of their request for accommodations, like a ramp into a classroom, additional time on a test or classroom materials.

Lack of consideration

Questioning a student's disability or need for accommodation is another form of ableism and can make them feel they must prove they need it. Plus, it can cause embarrassment, feelings of inadequacy or isolation.

Lack of courtesy

Not speaking to individuals with disabilities directly, or using others to talk on their behalf, creates a de-individuation of a student and the idea they can't directly advocate for themselves. Ultimately, this reinforces the idea that the student is different from other (non-disabled) students and is, therefore, inferior.

How does ableism make students with disabilities feel?

In response to their treatment in the classroom or at school by teachers, administrators or other students, children with disabilities may feel:

Different. When students are treated like they differ from their peers, they will probably internalize that treatment and see themselves as different, making them feel bad about themselves.

Inferior. Students with disabilities are subject to treatment from a society that wasn't "built for" them like it was built for non-disabled people. Because of this, students with disabilities may see themselves as "less than" because they require accommodations.

Disenfranchised. It's challenging and may even be downright humiliating having to ask for the accommodations in the first place. It's even more challenging to have those accommodations questioned or, worse, not believed, not taken seriously or not provided.

Unimportant. As long as we prioritize the learning styles and needs of non-disabled children over children with disabilities, students who are not non-disabled will feel, and may even believe, that they don't matter, and their needs are not important enough to care about.

Ways to combat ableism in schools

There are many things we can do to foster a safe, equitable schooling environment for our children with disabilities.

For parents:

Talk to your child and seek understanding. Aside from knowing the facts of your child's disability, take the time to talk with them about how their disability affects them specifically and how their schooling environment may make it easier or more difficult to learn and socialize in the classroom. Practice compassion, attentive listening and understanding.

Be an advocate for your child. Speak with your child's teacher(s) and any relevant administrators about your child's needs, especially if they voice concerns or problems in their schooling environment. Work with educators on your child's behalf to fix these.

Teach your child to advocate for themselves. Use your acceptance of their disability to teach them to feel the same way about themselves. Teach them it is okay to speak up about their needs, ask for help when needed, and what to do if they feel unheard or as though they are being challenged. This can include inviting you, the parent, into the issue or calling upon a trusted friend or educator to help. Advocating for yourself doesn't always mean that you do it alone.

For educators:

Add disability content to the curriculum and school activities. The more information and awareness about disabilities and ableism, the better chance we have to help everyone understand it. More so, including this information in school activities and lessons will help give voice to students with disabilities.

Diversify your class library to include books with disability themes. Students will feel better represented when given the voice and space from shared information about their conditions.

Use role models in your classroom. This will help students with disabilities to feel not only represented but like their disability is no impediment to their future successes in the world.

Provide resources for all. This is important. There are plenty of resources that can be made available for students with disabilities and in classroom environments to ensure everyone has fair treatment. These resources include, but aren't limited to:

test accommodations

braille transcriptions for students with vision disabilities

interpreter services for students with hearing disabilities

desk and accessibility arrangements (such as wheelchair ramps, extra time to move between classes, and note-taking assistance) for students with physical disabilities

assistive technologies and software to make learning easier for students with disabilities

It's so important to provide a learning environment that is conducive to the needs of all students, regardless of their physical and mental abilities, so every child can learn and succeed without feeling inferior or unrepresented.

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The "A" Word: Let's Talk About Ableism - TulsaKids Magazine

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When people think about diversity, equity and inclusion, it's typical to think about race, gender, and ethnicity, rather than disability. There is often a focus placed on topics like racism and sexism, rather than ableism, the discrimination against those with disabilities.

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Plastic is an amazing man-made material - it's cheap to produce and has many uses! But half of the plastic we produce is designed to be used just once and then thrown away - and even plastic that can be reused or recycled gets chucked out, too!
Much of our unwanted plastic ends up in the ocean - around 8 million tonnes of it every year, in fact! And because plastic takes 400 years to break down, it stays there for a long, long time, putting our friends beneath the waves in serious danger. Let's dive in and take a closer look...

700...

different species of animals are believed to be severely threatened because of plastic pollution in the ocean.

tonnes of a gas called carbon dioxide (CO ₂) is absorbed by the ocean each day because of rubbish. The ocean has always sucked up CO ₂ from the air as part of nature - but our waste means more is being absorbed than before. As a result, the water is becoming more acidic, which could make it harder for fish to breath and for creatures like crabs, lobsters and coral to grow their shells.

of all dead animals found in beach cleanups worldwide have been entangled in plastic bags.

animals and birds were found trapped by marine debris (such as old ropes, nets, mesh and wires) during a recent international coastal cleanup.

5 trillion...

pieces of plastic (not including microbeads - minuscule plastic balls found in toiletries like face washes and toothpaste) are estimated to be floating in the world's seas.

of seabirds eat plastic rubbish, mistaking it for food.

of fish found during a recent expedition had plastic in their stomachs.

of sea turtles worldwide have accidentally eaten plastic rubbish in the ocean.

The facts and figures are pretty shocking, right? The good news is that people around the world are working to together to reduce plastic waste. Join the mission and check out our 10 tips to reduce plastic pollution!

What did you think of our Plastic in the Ocean feature? Will you be helping to solve the plastic problem? Leave a comment below and let us know!

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Plastic in the Ocean - National Geographic Kids

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Get facts and figures on how plastic pollution is harming marine life. How much plastic is in the ocean? Why is plastic pollution dangerous?

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Earth's climate is changing at an rate. As a result, storms and are becoming more intense. Temperatures are rising. Polar ice caps are melting. This is causing oceans to rise. Low coastal areas are flooding. Animals are losing their habitats. Scientists are sounding the alarm: If we don't make changes to halt global warming, the planet's climate will become increasingly unbearable.

Climate, unlike weather, describes long-term patterns in the conditions of the . Earth's climate as a whole has changed several times throughout history. In the past 650,000 years alone, there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat. Most of these changes are a natural part of Earth's 4.5 billion-year history. They are due to tiny variations in the Earth's orbit, which alter the amount of solar energy reaching the planet.

Scientists say that recent changes in Earth's climate are not due to natural causes. According to NASA, 97% of climate scientists agree there is a direct connection between human activity and the changes occurring on our planet.

TAYLOR WEIDMAN-BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES

The Human Impact

Over the past 150 years, humans have used more and more engines, vehicles, and other machines. These devices burn through fossil fuels like coal and oil. Fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases.

Normally, plants, trees, and the oceans absorb carbon dioxide and release it back into the atmosphere as oxygen. But an increase in fossil fuels has created more carbon dioxide than nature can take in. Adding to the problem are other human activities. Deforestation and the destruction of habitats also reduce the number of trees and plants. That makes it even harder to absorb all that carbon dioxide.

When too much carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere, it causes problems for Earth's climate. Sunlight can pass through those gases. But the heat the sun generates cannot escape back out into space. So the gases end up trapping that heat. This then turns the planet into a giant greenhouse.

This greenhouse effect leads to changes in the climate, like increased temperatures. Average temperatures across the planet have not been increasing uniformly. But scientists observe a clear upward trend. Sixteen of the 17 warmest years ever recorded have occurred since 2001.

Scientists believe that climate change will have an impact far greater than milder winters and warmer summers. A warmer planet melts glaciers and other large bodies of ice faster than usual. Earth's glaciers help cool the planet. This means that as ice melts, temperatures will continue to rise. Rising sea levels, flooding, and stronger weather events will occur. And as the planet gets hotter, some places will become uninhabitable for people and animals.

These effects are already being felt around the world. Melting polar ice caps are causing huge chunks of ice to fall into the oceans. The melting ice is causing sea levels to rise about an eighth of an inch per year. That's according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Many coastal areas are in danger of flooding. Some scientists predict that if sea levels continue to rise at current rates, entire cities may be submerged in the next 100 years.

In warm, dry regions, increased temperatures are causing severe drought. This leads to wildfires, food shortages, and water insecurity. Global warming has also led to coral bleaching of nearly two-thirds of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The corals provide a habitat for nearly 1,500 different species of fish. This loss of sea life also affects the hundreds of millions of humans who rely on marine creatures for food.

Climate change is also creating more extreme weather events. This puts people and in danger. Scientists believe that global warming is responsible for hurricanes of greater intensity. Other results of global warming include more frequent and severe heat waves, droughts, blizzards, and rainstorms.

CHRIS SEWARD-RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER/TNS/GETTY IMAGES

Taking Action

Governments, companies, and individuals are working to cut greenhouse-gas emissions. Countries are joining to fight climate change and its effects. Innovators are working to create Earth-friendly fuels and power sources. And more and more people are using electric and hybrid vehicles. They are also turning to wind and solar power for alternative energy sources.

But humans still need to deal with the large amount of carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere. One solution being tested is called carbon sequestration. Through this process, carbon dioxide can be captured and stored underground before it goes into the atmosphere. Another proposal is to store carbon by planting more trees-nature's carbon trap.

Time will tell the true impact that climate change has on Earth. But how humans respond and adapt to a warming planet will set the course for years to come.

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Earth's climate is changing at an unprecedented rate. As a result, storms and droughts are becoming more intense. Temperatures are rising. Polar ice caps are melting. This is causing oceans to rise. Low coastal areas are flooding. Animals are losing...

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Air pollution happens when solid and liquid particles-called aerosols -and certain gases end up in our air. These particles and gases can be bad for the planet and for our health, so keeping track of them is important.

Where do aerosols come from?

Any particle that gets picked up into the air or is formed from chemical reactions in the air can be an aerosol. Many aerosols enter the atmosphere when we burn fossil fuels-such as coal and petroleum-and wood. These particles can come from many sources, including car exhaust, factories and even wildfires. Some of the particles and gases come directly from these sources, but others form through chemical reactions in the air.

Aerosols can come from other places, too, such as ash from an erupting volcano. Dust, pollen from plants and mold spores are also examples of aerosols.

What else causes air pollution?

Certain gases in the atmosphere can cause air pollution. For example, in cities, a gas called ozone is a major cause of air pollution. Ozone is also a greenhouse gas that can be both good and bad for our environment. It all depends where it is in Earth's atmosphere.

Ozone high up in our atmosphere is a good thing. It helps block harmful energy from the Sun, called radiation. But, when ozone is closer to the ground, it can be really bad for our health. Ground level ozone is created when sunlight reacts with certain chemicals that come from sources of burning fossil fuels, such as factories or car exhaust.

When particles in the air combine with ozone, they create smog. Smog is a type of air pollution that looks like smoky fog and makes it difficult to see.

How does air pollution affect Earth's climate?

Aerosols can impact how the Sun's light hits Earth. For example, some aerosols reflect sunlight while others absorb sunlight. It depends on the color of the particle.

Dark surfaces-whether it's a black t-shirt or a dark particle in the atmosphere-absorb the Sun's heat. Lighter-colored surfaces reflect heat from the Sun.

A white t-shirt reflects the Sun on a hot day, making you feel cooler. In the same way, light-colored particles that reflect the Sun's light and heat away from Earth can make the global temperature cooler. Dark-colored particles that absorb the Sun's light can make the global temperature warmer.

How does air pollution affect our health?

Breathing in polluted air can be very bad for our health. Long-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with diseases of the heart and lungs, cancers and other health problems. That's why it's important for us to monitor air pollution.

How is NASA monitoring air pollution?

NASA uses satellites orbiting Earth to keep an eye on air pollution. In fact, air quality forecasters use information about aerosols from NASA's Aqua, Terra and Suomi-NPP satellites.

NASA also is developing a new instrument called the Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols, or MAIA, to fly aboard a future spacecraft mission. MAIA will help scientists understand the size, makeup and quantity of aerosols in our air. Eventually, scientists will be able to compare this information with health records. This can help us better understand the relationship between aerosol pollution and human health.

Related NASA Missions

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Air pollution is caused by solid or liquid particles and certain gases suspended in the air. These particles and gases can come from car and truck exhaust, factories, dust, pollen, mold spores, volcanoes and wildfires.

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Jerome Foster II is doing his part to save the world.

Though he's only a freshman in college, Foster already has some serious credibility as a climate activist. The 18-year-old from Washington D.C. is the founder of the Climate Reporter, a youth media website; the executive director of OneMillionOfUs, a youth voting advocacy group; and the youngest member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

And yet Foster doesn't really want the job.

"Every young person has a dream, but we're sacrificing that for activism," he says in PEOPLE's Earth Day special. "I wanted to do astrophysics and coding. But there's no future to plan for when you're seeing the climate get worse, and nothing's being done."

Foster says he was just 5 when his passion for climate activism began.

"I had the opportunity to have a really deep connection with nature and just to go out and build that connection," he says.

As Foster got older, he began to educate himself through books and documentaries - namely former Vice President Al Gore's groundbreaking 2006 film, An Inconvenient Truth - and realized how much trouble Earth was facing.

"I understood the scale, scope and speed of it and how it was impacting not just animals, but everyday people and the entire human population," he says. "I thought adults would be able to handle it and would be able to fix this problem and get climate change under control."

But Foster says he was wrong - so by middle school, he decided to take action.

"I saw the urgency wasn't being met," says Foster, who went on to start an Instagram account to educate his class on climate change and his own virtual reality company in high school to create VR experiences on the effects of the climate emergency.

Inspired by his fellow activist and now close friend Greta Thunberg, Foster started organizing Fridays for Future school strikes in front of the White House.

"My school was not supportive of what I was doing," Foster admits of his strikes, noting that his grades subsequently suffered from missing class. "Teachers would not give make-up work... I think that that lack of support really hurt a lot of people."

"If I focus on my school and don't think about my future, then our future will be totally at risk. And I think that was a struggle and it still is," he adds.

Despite being threatened with zeros for the time he was missing, Foster protested for 58 weeks until the pandemic sent the cause online.

RELATED VIDEO: Easy Things You Should Do to Help the Planet, from Filling Your Fridge to Raking Your Leaves

"The White House is a very major point to show your resistance. Because the president can see you right outside his window," says Foster. "Even if he doesn't agree with you, there's a political will taking action with massive amounts of people every single week."

Now at Pace University in New York, Foster is determined to keep the pressure on politicians - and expects to do so until the planet is no longer in trouble.

"No one wants to be fighting for clean air in 2030," he says. "When you aren't able to plan for your future, you aren't able to feel secure. When everything is destabilizing and you don't have a fallback plan, that's incredibly devastating."

"Young people need to keep marching. We can't be complacent," he adds. "It's up to us to save our future."

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Meet Jerome Foster II, Teen Climate Hero and Greta Thunberg's Friend: Saving the Planet Is 'Up to Us'

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Jerome Foster II is doing his part to save the world. Though he's only a freshman in college, Foster already has some serious credibility as a climate activist. The 18-year-old from Washington D.C. is the founder of the Climate Reporter, a youth media website; the executive director of OneMillionOfUs, a youth voting advocacy group; and the youngest member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Stop Animal Abuse | Kyle Chung | TEDxPascoCountySchools

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8-Year-Old Flint Girl Who Wrote Letter to Obama: 'I Wanted Him to Know What Was Going On'

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The little girl who penned the letter that convinced Obama to visit Flint, Mich. explained to TIME why she was moved to send the note

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National Poetry Slam 2014 - Finals - "Elementary" G. Yamazawa

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Download Article

Download Article

An activist is anyone who sees the need for change and devotes their time to doing something about it. And, as successful teen activists prove, structural, social, or economic barriers don't have to stop you from pursuing your passion and creating positive change. If you are interested in making a difference for a cause you care about, you can do so by educating yourself about the issue, finding ways to get involved in-person and online, and possibly even pursuing a career in a field related to your cause.

Add New Question

Is registering people to vote a form of activism?

Bridget Connolly has volunteered on political campaigns at the local and federal level for over 10 years, most notably for the 2008 Obama campaign in Nevada and Josh Harder's Congressional race in 2018. She has gone door-to-door to help register voters and get out the vote in both California and Nevada.

Yes! Registering people to vote helps remove barriers for people who have been marginalized by educational systems, culture, and misinformation about the importance of their vote. I've had so many experiences where every vote counts. If 500 people are registering people to vote in a specific county, and we each get 1 person, and somebody wins by 400 votes, that's a really big deal. I think it's a civic duty for people who understand how politics work and understand that voting is at the bedrock of all of that. The people who don't vote are essentially disenfranchised; they aren't playing a part in what's happening with their tax dollars and who is representing them at the local, state, and federal level. All levels. It takes a lot of work to stay informed, but that's how our system is set up. You're voting people into power, so it's a civic duty.

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This article was co-authored by Bridget Connolly and by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Bridget Connolly has volunteered on political campaigns at the local and federal level for over 10 years, most notably for the 2008 Obama campaign in Nevada and Josh Harder's Congressional race in 2018. She has gone door-to-door to help register voters and get out the vote in both California and Nevada. This article has been viewed 888,355 times.

Updated: November 19, 2023

If you feel passionately about an issue and want to become an activist, start by contacting local or online organizations with a similar mission. Ask them if you can volunteer your time or donate your money to contribute to the cause. Alternatively, you can also promote your cause on social media, share news articles, and circulate online petitions to raise awareness. Be sure to stay well-informed by keeping current with any news related to your cause! For tips on finding organizations that support your cause, read on!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 888,355 times.

"I was doing a schoolwork about teen activism, and all of these thoughts and ideas helped me with what I could write about! I loved how you explained it, and it's a really well-written article. Congrats, you should be proud!" ..." more

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An activist is anyone who sees the need for change and devotes their time to doing something about it. And, as successful teen activists prove, structural, social, or economic barriers don't have to stop you from pursuing your passion and...

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How many pets are in the United States? How many animals are in shelters?

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10 Young Asian American and Pacific Islander Activists You Should Know

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These AAPI youth are making education more inclusive, protecting sacred lands, standing against hate, and more.

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Teenagers today lead very busy lives between school, extracurricular activities, and part-time jobs. It is amazing that they can find time for anything else! Many students work hard to find time to volunteer at different nonprofit organizations, too. These include animal shelters, health care centers, soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, and other community centers. Studies are finding that community service opportunities offer many different benefits to students, as well as to the communities they serve.

What are the Benefits of Community Service?

Performing community service has been shown to offer a number of benefits for young people before, during, and even after their high school years. The benefits of volunteering can have a holistic effect on students' lives-professionally, educationally, and personally.

Professionally

The community service projects that students perform during their teen years could benefit them when they begin their job search. Volunteering teaches valuable skills they wouldn't be able to learn in a classroom. Examples of these skills include better communication, teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, and time management. Employers tend to look for candidates who have obtained skills in these areas.

One study conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that having volunteer experience on a resume boosts chances of finding a job by 27%. Students who complete high school or college normally find that they have not yet gained a great deal of work experience. What they do not realize is that volunteer experience is just as valuable. These learned volunteer skills easily transfer over to a job. As a result, students who list community service activities on their resume can have an advantage over those who do not.

Students also create important connections that guide them to different career openings later in life. Contacts made through volunteering often lead to letters of recommendation, references, and help with finding job opportunities. At the very least, students can practice their networking skills. This will be a huge benefit to them throughout their lives.

Educationally

On top of the career benefits, there are many educational benefits to serving. One study analyzed data from the National Education Longitudinal Study and found that students who volunteered did better in reading, history, science, and math and were more likely to complete high school. This is because students are able to see how their schoolwork applies to the real world, keeping them interested in what they are learning.

Volunteer experiences can also give students an advantage on college admissions and scholarships. Admission into colleges and universities has become more competitive over the years. Service-learning projects listed on college applications offer students an advantage over others. Many students begin serving in high school, but students who serve even earlier have an even greater advantage. Their length of experience usually leads them to hold higher positions within the organization they are serving. This proves impressive to colleges looking for responsible, hard-working students to admit.

Likewise, students are able to earn scholarships through community service programs. This is a great way for students to set themselves apart and impress scholarship providers by showing their interest in helping the community. Regardless of whether a scholarship is labeled as a specific "community service" scholarship or not, students have a better chance of winning when they list volunteer experience.

Personally

Community service even benefits students at a personal level. Through their service, students are given the opportunity to work with a variety of diverse people. This helps them develop a sense of social awareness. They learn patience and empathy while getting to see first-hand how they can have a positive impact on their local community.

Volunteer work has also shown to offer mental and physical health benefits for young people. Whether working with a group of people or with pets at an animal shelter, it can reduce stress and anxiety while improving one's well-being. Researchers have discovered humans are hard-wired to give to others. This means the more students give, the happier they feel. Students can increase their self-confidence through the feeling of achievement they get from donating their time. Staying physically active while volunteering has shown to lessen symptoms of chronic pain, reduce the risk of heart disease, and lower a person's mortality rate.

Additionally, volunteering is a great way for students to make new friends who have similar interests. Meeting regularly with others boosts a teens' social skills and give them confidence. Volunteering can strengthen a teen's relationships with family members, when everyone serves together.

How Does Community Service Affect A Community?

Volunteerism has the power to create a mutually beneficial relationship between students and organizations in the community. Organizations are provided with cost-free service by their volunteers. This helps keep their operations running while saving money. At the same time, students are able to feel a unique sense of fun and fulfillment as they contribute to a meaningful cause.

Where Do I Start?

There are plenty of places for teens to find volunteer opportunities. To find a good fit, teens should first ask themselves a couple of important questions:

"Who would I like to work with?" - Some students may feel more comfortable working with children, while others would rather work with adults. Students should also consider if they would be comfortable working with animals or even possibly remotely from home. This first step can help significantly narrow down a pool of volunteer opportunities for a student.

"How much time do I have to commit to serving?" - Take a serious look at how much time a student is available to give to an organization. It is better for a student to be honest with how much time they are able to give to an organization, rather than try to do too much. Research has also shown that 2-3 hours of community service per week (roughly 100 hours each year) can deliver the most benefits for both volunteer and organization. Organizations never want their volunteers to feel overworked or stressed. Ultimately, volunteering should feel like a fun hobby rather than a chore.

"What skills can I bring to a volunteer job?" - Students should take the time to evaluate the skills they already possess that would benefit potential organizations they would serve. These skills range from hard skills, such as writing or math abilities, to soft skills, like communication and patience. No skill is too small or insignificant. Organizations need all kinds of people. Having an idea of what special skills they possess helps a student find the right fit.

"What am I interested in?" - Students should take into account the things that interest them or new skills they would like to learn when picking a place to volunteer. For example, a student who does not enjoy history or science would probably not enjoy serving at a museum or national park. A student who cares about animals and the outdoors might look into community service at a local animal shelter. If a student is interested in the volunteer work they are doing, it is likely to be a more enjoyable experience for them.

"What are my goals for volunteering?" - Students need to consider what they would like to take away from their community service experience. For example, are they looking to meet a new group of people, try a new type of work, or learn a new skill?

An organization that lines up with a student's interests and goals, as well as the time they can give and skill set, is an ideal match. While this may seem like a daunting task to find, there are many resources available to help students. Sites like VolunteerMatch are great resources to help students find opportunities in their area. Students can speak with a guidance counselor or school administrator for suggestions of organizations where they can increase their community involvement.

The Bridge Teen Center offers opportunities for middle school and high school students to serve at The Bridge Thrift Store through its innovative "Thriftastic" Job Readiness program. This program asks students to commit 2-3 hours each week serving in the thrift store. Students are led through a training booklet that will increase their personal development while gaining valuable job skills they will use throughout their lives. This program can even open up employment opportunities for students with The Bridge Thrift Store. Currently, four former Thriftastic students are now serving as part-time staff members, due to their heart for volunteering.

While student positions are limited, the Thriftastic program is open to teens in 7th through 12th grade with an approved Bridge Teen Center membership application on file. Students can also schedule service hours at the thrift shore separate from the Thriftastic Program. Membership is FREE to all eligible students.

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The Importance of Community Service in a Teen's Life

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Teenagers today lead very busy lives between school, extracurricular activities, and part-time jobs. It is amazing that they can find time for anything else! Many students work hard to find time to volunteer at different nonprofit organizations, too. These include animal shelters, health care centers, soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, and other community centers.

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Abandonment and Adoption Study 2015 Infographic

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Over 140,000 dogs and cats were recovered in 2014. Data taken from the Affinity Foundation Study on Abandonment and Adoption 2014.

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10 Young Latinx Activists You Should Know

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They're standing up for immigrants, farmworkers, the environment, and more.

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We Can Be More - a 13-year-old poet's campaign to save the world  | Solli Raphael | TEDxSydney

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Stop Bullying on the Spot

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time.

Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

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StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on bullying, cyberbullying, prevention and response.

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Picture this: You come to school one day, ready to learn, but because you're gay, you're told to leave the classroom. This is what happened to Josh, an openly gay student. Josh's health teacher didn't include him in a lesson because she thought gay people shouldn't care about their sexual health. Challenges like this have inspired Josh to become a voice for the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) community, spreading positive messages and truth. "I hoped what I had to say would change things for the better and change the views of the people who had brought me down," he says.

Like Josh, young people who identify as LGBTQ often face many challenges - such as bias, rejection from their families, depression, and violence at school. But, feeling empowered to speak up can be a game changer, transforming you from victim to advocate. endever*, a young person who identifies as nongender, says that having at least one person in your life who cares and believes in you can make all the difference. Programs can also help LGBTQ youth, says Amanda, who joined a gay-straight alliance (GSA) in college, a place she says was a "safe space."

LGBTQ young people and their allies, who may not identify as LGBTQ but support the community, have the power to use their voices to create safe spaces for LGBTQ youth in schools, communities, and the nation. Here are a few ideas for Change Makers who want to empower LGBTQ youth:

Stand Up Against Harassment and Bullying of LGBTQ Youth

According to a recent survey, almost 85% of LGBT students said they were verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation. Learn more about experiences of LGBT youth in school and consider how you can use your voice to stand up to bullying and support your peers.

Organize a Gay-Straight Alliance

Help make your school safer and more welcoming for everyone by starting a GSA. GLSEN and the GSA Network have a website that provides information that can help you start a GSA at your school, or help an established GSA become even better. These resources can help you learn how to start a GSA, recruit members, run effective meetings, partner with adults, celebrate your successes, and more.

Get Involved With the Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is an organization that helps LGBTQ youth get through tough times. Its website provides information on ways to get involved through volunteering, advocacy, and connecting through social media. Consider applying to be part of the Trevor Project Youth Advisory Council and your voice could shape the organization's direction.

Did these stories inspire you to take action? Share this blog post on Facebook, tell us your thoughts, and share your own experiences working for positive change. If you are interested in learning more about the issues that affect LGBTQ youth, check out the YE4C LGBTQ Topic Page.

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Picture this: You come to school one day, ready to learn, but because you're gay, you're told to leave the classroom. This is what happened to Josh, an openly gay student. Josh's health teacher didn't include him in a lesson because she thought gay people shouldn't care about their sexual health.

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Want to be a youth activist? Here are some tips | CBC Kids News

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Here are 7 Indigenous Youth Activists You Should Know

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Seven Indigenous youth activists share thoughts on how their identity drives their climate work and on how they celebrate Indigenous People’s Day.

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Deaths have spiked in this polluted California port community. COVID is only part of the story.

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Wilmington, California, has experienced hundreds more deaths than it does on average. Power, pollution, and poverty all play a role.

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There are many different types of bullying that can be experienced by children and adults alike, some are obvious to spot while others can be more subtle. The different types of bullying that we look at below are some of the ways that bullying could be happening.

Physical bullying

Physical bullying includes hitting, kicking, tripping, pinching and pushing or damaging property. Physical bullying causes both short term and long term damage.

Verbal bullying

Verbal bulling includes name calling, insults, teasing, intimidation, homophobic or racist remarks, or verbal abuse. While verbal bullying can start off harmless, it can escalate to levels which start affecting the individual target.

Social bullying

Social bullying, sometimes referred to as covert bullying, is often harder to recognise and can be carried out behind the bullied person's back. It is designed to harm someone's social reputation and / or cause humiliation.

Social bullying can include:

lying and spreading rumours

negative facial or physical gestures, menacing or contemptuous looks

playing nasty jokes to embarrass and humiliate

mimicking unkindly

encouraging others to social exclude someone

damaging someone's social reputation or social acceptance.

Cyber bullying

The Cyber Bullying Research Centre defines cyber bullying as: Intentional and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, phones, and other electronic devices.

Cyber bullying can be overt or covert bullying behaviours using digital technologies including hardware such as computers and smartphones, and software such as social media, instant messaging, texts, websites and other online platforms.

Cyber bullying can happen at any time. It can be in public or in private and sometimes only known to the target and the person bullying.

Cyber bullying can include:

abusive or hurtful texts, emails or posts, images or videos

deliberately excluding others online

nasty gossip or rumours

imitating others online or using their log-in.

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Types of bullying - National Center Against Bullying

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There are many different types of bullying that can be experienced by children and adults alike, some are obvious to spot while others can be more subtle. The different types of bullying that we look at below are some of the ways that bullying could be happening.

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California mandates gender-neutral toy sections for large retailers

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Community Service Has a Number of Important Benefits

Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community which has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills, as well as provide a service to those who need it most. These are some of the common benefits of participating in a community service program:

1. Psychological benefits: Volunteering increases overall life satisfaction and helps you feel good about yourself because you are helping others.

2. Social benefits: Volunteering engages students with the community, creates special bonds with the population being served, and increases social awareness and responsibility.

3. Cognitive benefits: Volunteering helps students enhance their personal knowledge, grow from new experiences, and develop important interpersonal communication skills.

Participating in community service not only makes a difference to the organization and people being served, but also makes a difference to every student's career prospects. Participating in community service activities helps to enhance student resumes by allowing students to obtain work-related skills prior to graduation, builds good references for employers in regards to community involvement, and provides a forum to network with future potential employers. It also helps students develop civic and social responsibility skills and become more aware of what their community needs.

You can also make a positive contribution to your community by earning an online degree in criminal justice or psychology. Contact us today for more information about our programs where you can learn how to help real people and leave a positive impact on the world.

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Why is Community Service Important? - Florida National University

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Community Service Has a Number of Important Benefits Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community which has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills, as well as provide a service to those who need it...

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At just 14 years of age, vegan teenage activist Genesis Butler has done more for animals than some have accomplished in a lifetime.

The animal rights advocate stopped eating meat when she was three-years-old after learning where the chicken nuggets on her plate came from. Three years later, after discovering the milk she was drinking came from mother cows, she went vegan. She subsequently helped her entire family transition to a plant-based diet.

Since becoming a vegan, Butler's spent a *lot* of time speaking up for animals. Four years ago, she became the youngest TEDx Talk speaker. Her talk-entitled "A 10-year old's vision for healing the planet"-covered the many benefits of eating a vegan diet. It also delved into the environmental impacts of eating animals.

Butler is now using her platform and voice to help advance animal protection laws. This year, she joined Social Compassion in Legislation's (SCIL) board of directors. The legislative animal advocacy group works to create and change laws that advocate for the rights, welfare, and protection of non-human animals.

"At a very young age, I realized that each animal was a unique individual and that I wanted to do everything I could to help them," Butler said in a press release. "I'm excited to motivate my fan base to help further Social Compassion in Legislation's mission, which is at the core the same as mine: to save every animal."

But maybe standing up for the rights of others runs in her blood. Butler is the great-grandniece of Cesar Chavez-a Latino American civil rights activist. The farm labor leader was also an animal advocate. "Chavez went vegan after making the connection [to animals] and knowing that when you fight against injustice that it should be for all species," Butler wrote on Instagram.

She often credits her great-granduncle's work and compassionate nature for inspiring her to speak up for human and non-human animals. "Civil rights activists like my uncle Cesar Chavez, Rosa Parks, and Angela Davis all stopped eating animals because they saw a connection between civil rights and animal rights," Butler told LIVEKINDLY via email.

Genesis Butler: A Hero for Animals

The teenage activist will celebrate her eight-year "veganniversary" on February 27th.

Over the last eight years, Butler has accomplished much for animals. In addition to attending protests and speaking at animal rights events, Butler has founded her own animal rights profit. In 2018, she took to social media to announce the launch of her foundation. "I'm proud to announce my nonprofit Genesis for Animals is now ready to start helping sanctuaries who save the lives of animals," she wrote on Instagram. The organization works to raise money for animal sanctuaries around the world.

In 2019, Butler became a real-life Marvel hero. Marvel Studios featured the vegan activist in its documentary series, "Marvel Hero Project." The unscripted series, which shares the positive impacts of youth activists, also included Butler as the star in her very own comic book.

Butler has guest appeared on numerous podcasts. This year alone, she's been a guest on Dr. Jane Goodall's podcast, Hopecast. She also appeared on The Chickpeeps, a plant-based podcast hosted by vegan actor Evanna Lynch.

Her animal advocacy work hasn't gone unnoticed. In 2019, animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) named Butler its Young Animal Activist of the Year for "being an outspoken animal rights proponent and inspiring countless people to go vegan." Her accolades don't end there. She's also received Animal Hero Kids-Sir Paul McCartney Young Veg Advocate and the Lisa Shapiro Youth Activist award, among others.

Butler says she hopes to one day become a veterinarian so that she can help the animals in her sanctuary. "My long term goal is to get as many people to go vegan as possible," she said. "Not only do the animals need us to go vegan but Mother Earth also needs as many people to go vegan as possible because animal agriculture is destroying our planet at a rapid rate."

10 Genesis Butler Quotes That Prove She's a Hero for Animals

Looking for more inspiring words of wisdom by the teenage activist? Here are 10 other times the vegan advocate has used her voice to speak up for animals.

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Helping the planet thrive
"What better time to commit to going vegan than the start of 2021! Last year we really got to see why it's important now more than ever to go vegan. From a global pandemic caused by eating animals to an increase in natural disasters due to climate change and caused partly because of animal agriculture we saw how eating animals is threatening our ability to thrive on this planet.
People may think going vegan won't help but according to an Oxford study going vegan is the single biggest way a person can lower their carbon footprint," she captioned via Instagram.

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Eating animals causes climate change

" According to many scientific studies, raising animals for food is the primary cause of global climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution, and water shortage, just to name a few," Butler said during her 2017 TEDx talk.

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Being kind to all kinds

"Some people think extending kindness to all species is a weakness but it's actually a superpower so don't ever let anyone make you feel bad or crazy for having empathy for animals. I know people have tried to do that to me but it just makes me stronger and want to speak up for animals even more," she said via Instagram.

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The importance of veganism

"COVID, it really impacted my activism. Normally, we go out to protests, so we have to get out and get active. But we can't do that anymore. More viruses are just going to start coming if we do not switch to a plant-based diet. So we've been talking about the importance of veganism because we want a thriving planet to live on," Jane Goodall podcast, 2021.

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'Animals feel love and happiness'

"I kept feeling a pain in my heart when I ate animals and my mom thought it was heartburn but the doctor said nothing was wrong with me. When I learned I was eating animals I knew that's where my pain was coming from. Animals feel pain just like we do just as they feel love and happiness, just like us," the teenage activist wrote on Instagram.

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Inspired by other teenage activists

"Youth can make such a big difference. And I realize that because when I first became an activist, I was super young. Now that I'm older, you can really see how youth voices are really needed right now. If you see someone younger than you and they're vegan and they're making a difference, and they're so passionate about it, it makes you inspired," she said on The Chickpeeps podcast.

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Veganism is more than just an animal rights issue

"We will never fight climate change without diet change. The exploitation of animals for food isn't just an animal rights issue, it's a climate issue, it's an environmental racism issue, it's a social justice issue, and it's a human rights issue," she wrote on Instagram.

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Eating vegan is easy

"When I first told my mom I wanted to go vegan she said she wasn't sure because she didn't think she'd be able to eat any of the traditional Mexican dishes she grew up eating. I told her she could probably make them vegan so she looked up recipes and found out she can! We can still eat traditional meals and not miss out on anything," she wrote on Instagram.

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'Human and civil rights are connected'

"Human and civil rights are connected to animal rights for many reasons. One reason is the majority of slaughterhouses are in low-income communities, so they pollute the environment of the people who live there. Also, indigenous people who live in the rainforest are losing their homes because companies use the land to graze and raise cattle for food," she told LIVEKINDLY, 2021.

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Saving animals and the planet

"Not eating animal products will not only save animals, but it will help stop much of the damage we have done to the earth. According to many scientific studies, raising animals for food is the primary cause of global climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution, and water shortage, just to name a few," the teenage activist said during her TEDx Talk.

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10 Times Genesis Butler Has Been a Hero to Animals

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Since becoming a vegan, teenage activist Genesis Butler has spent a *lot* of her time speaking up for animals.

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images, Twitter, Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Teen Vogue

Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, sparked a massive online response when she delivered a scathing speech at the United Nations General Assembly to shame leaders from around the world for their inaction on climate change.

Though Thunberg's brazen comments to the leaders marked a pivotal moment for youth involvement in climate change advocacy, young activists have been bucking the norms for years to spark change among their peers and leaders alike on issues including gun control, education, and LGBTQ rights.

Activists have come from diverse backgrounds that include Hollywood, the aftermath of a school shooting, and Taliban-ruled Pakistan, but see how they've all earned global reputations.

Shamma bint Suhail Faris Mazrui, 23, youth advocacy

Twitter

After an impressive academic career that includes a bachelor's degree from New York University Abu Dhabi and becoming the United Arab Emirates' first Rhodes Scholar, which earned her a master's in public policy from the University of Oxford, Mazrui was appointed as Minister of State for Youth Affairs when she was 22.

The nod earned her a spot on the 2018 Forbes Middle East Arab 30 under 30 list, but she describes her role as a much larger effort to empower young people in the UAE to be active in their society and government.

"In the UAE, Arab youth are similar to youth around the world," Mazrui told the Los Angeles Times of how she seeks to boost fellow young people's abilities. "They all want to go to the best universities. They all want to have stable careers. They want lives of purpose and they want to feel part of a cohesive community and family."

Malala Yousafzai, 22, women's and girl's education

Yousafzai was an activist long before she became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history in 2014, but she's since become a household name.

Growing up in Pakistan under Taliban occupation, Yousafzai's family ran a chain of schools, which inspired her impassioned and public defense of women's education, that included the then-11-year-old writing a blog post under a pen name for the BBC and starring in a New York Times documentary about life in the middle of military occupation.

However, her outspoken spirit earned her enemies in the Taliban and in October 2012, Yousafzai was shot on a school bus. She not only survived the attack, but also became the center of an international movement to support her that led Taliban officials to announce a possible second assassination attempt.

She later published her first book, " I Am Malala." Yousafzai and her family have since moved to the United Kingdom, where she is currently studying at Oxford.

Parkland shooting survivors, various ages, gun control

David Hogg, Jaclyn Corin, Emma González, Cameron Kasky, and Alex Wind were at the center of a massive youth movement for gun control after surviving a massacre that killed 17 of their classmates at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The five teenagers sparked the #NeverAgain movement, which saw thousands of students walk out of school in a massive nationwide youth protest that swelled behind causes like stricter gun regulation and a general increase in youth participation in politics and policy.

The students have gone on to continue their work as vocal advocates for advancing gun policies and youth participation through online campaigns, media appearances, and speaking tours.

Yara Shahidi, 19, women's and girl's engagement

Shahidi first entered the spotlight as a young actress but came into her own right as an activist after taking on issues like diversity in Hollywood and female empowerment in education.

She formed Yara's Club in partnership with The Young Women's Leadership School, which sets up digital hangouts for high school students together to discuss and confront social issues.

Shahidi also worked on former first lady Michelle Obama's Let Girls Learn education initiative before Obama provided her with a letter of recommendation that contributed to her road to undergraduate studies at Harvard University.

Isra Hirsi, 16, climate change awareness

Hirsi is the eldest daughter of prominent Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, but she's earned a reputation in her own right as a climate change activist.

After learning about the sharp racially divided effects of climate change, then-15-year-old Hirsi sprung into action to get climate change on the official agendas of local and national lawmakers.

In January 2019, Hirsi founded the US Youth Climate Strike group, an American chapter of a global climate activist movement. In her role as executive director, Hirsi has been a key part of activating a chapter to join the estimated 1.6 million students across 120 countries to skip school in March to demand official action on climate change and spoke at the Minneapolis march as part of the global climate strike on September 20.

Marley Diaz, 14, diverse representation

Dias is the founder of the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign, which she started when she was 11 in 2015 to collect and donate 1,000 books to her peers that featured black girls as the main characters when she was "sick of reading about white boys and dogs," she told her mom.

The campaign was a massive success, and she's since been honored on the Forbes30 Under 30 list. In January 2018, she published a book to inspire other potential activists titled " Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!"

She told the Chicago Tribune in 2018 that even as a published author, her initial mission remains intact as she wants to create and share stories to "be reflected for the black girls who are reading them, so they can identify themselves and learn about their history" as well as "open up to people who are different, to understand and to see and grow from those things we don't understand."

Mari Copeny, 11, water access

Copeny, who is also known as "Little Miss Flint," shot to fame when she was eight years old in March 2016 when she wrote a letter to President Barack Obama about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. After reading her letter, Obama flew to Flint and shined a national spotlight on the crisis.

After her big presidential moment, Copeny has continued her work, including in ads for the Peoples Climate March and starting the hashtag #WednesdaysForWater, in which she sends out a weekly alert about places in need of clean water. Copeny's partnership with a water-filtration company also facilitates drinkable water in deprived communities.

Read the original article on INSIDER. Copyright 2019. Follow INSIDER onTwitter.

Climate Change

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These 10 young activists are trying to move the needle on climate change, gun control, and other global issues

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Young activists have been bucking the norms for years to spark change on behalf of gun control, education, and LGBTQ issues.

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This summer, youth activists joined local fisherfolk and Sámi Indigenous people on the banks of the Repparfjord in Northern Norway. Their goal was simple: to stop Nussir ASA from starting construction on a copper mine that would dump millions of tonnes of waste into the fjord.

They achieved that goal and more.

Day and night, activists took turns keeping watch at the proposed mine site. On three occasions they physically blocked crews from carrying out excavation work. Their presence got the attention of Aurubis AG, Europe's largest copper producer, who announced it was terminating its offtake agreement with Nussir due to concerns about sustainability.

Nussir and the Norwegian government have insisted that the copper mine at Repparfjord is essential for the country's 'green shift.' They were willing to sacrifice the fjord and trample Sámi Indigenous rights to put the mine into production. But Aurubis, and a growing list of other mining companies and financial institutions, appear unwilling to assume the reputational and environmental risk that ocean dumping poses. Mining companies and , have committed not to use submarine tailings disposal at their operations, and Citigroup, Credit Suisse, and Standard Chartered have all adopted policies to prohibit or severely restrict the practice.

Activists at Repparfjord broke camp in September to coincide with Norway's parliamentary elections on September 13, but not before sending a strong message to the incoming government: withdraw the permits for the Nussir mine.

Earthworks' online action over the summer added international voices to the demand to protect Repparfjord, and all Norwegian fjords, from toxic mine waste: nearly 4,000 people sent emails to Norwegian Prime Minister Solberg to demand the so-called leader in ocean sustainability take bold action to stop the Nussir and Nordic Mining projects, and ban all ocean dumping in Norway.

Despite huge gains this summer the fight to protect Repparfjord isn't over. Activists will continue to keep watch at Nussir's mine site throughout the fall while they work to secure a permanent halt to operations. Stay tuned for more opportunities to support Norwegian allies to protect fjords from ocean dumping.

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Norway's Youth Activists Take Stand Against Ocean Dumping - Earthworks

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This summer, youth activists joined local fisherfolk and Sámi Indigenous people on the banks of the Repparfjord in Northern Norway. Their goal was simple: to stop Nussir ASA from starting construction on a copper mine that would dump millions of tonnes of waste into the fjord.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Activism is people joining together to fight for change.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.