There's hope for future after all

I just finished doing a final read of high school seniors’ summaries. That’s something my newspaper compiles from surveys we pass out to the soon-to-be graduates and then publish on the eve of their commencement.

It’s uplifting to read about these teenagers’ hope and dreams for the future — and worrisome because of what they’re going to face as adults.

They may not realize what they’re facing in the world ahead.

These are small-town youths, filled with the optimism that comes from supportive parents, grandparents and others who love them. They want to contribute in positive ways toward a better world, often by returning home someday to make life better for those they love.

Many of their dreams are noble — helping others, the greatest of ambitions — while others simply want to get on with life and see where it takes them. Still others seek only their piece of the good life, figuring that once they’re financially successful they’ll be able to help their families and communities as a way to “give back” the love and nurturing they’ve felt through their formative years.

We all wish them the best. If they can accomplish their goals this world will be better.

Unfortunately, certain realities are going to slap them in the face once they’re out in the world. Humanity is in trouble, and it will be up to the younger generations to save us.

Front and center is climate change. If humanity does not act fast to counter the effects of the carbons we’re emitting, catastrophic consequences will occur. It is now firmly and scientifically established that the earth is warming up, and anyone who believes otherwise is either uninformed, misinformed and has their head in the sand.

Piling on to this dismal news is a United Nations report issued this month that more than a million species are now threatened with extinction, thanks to the dominant species on our earth. Human activity is killing off eco-systems we depend on.

Such grave threats are hard to teach to our young people. We prefer to shield them from such dire circumstances because (1) they’re depressing and (2) we don’t want to stomp down their optimism for the future.

But maybe we’re underestimating the power of fresh perspectives to take on causes and fight for real change.

We could be on the cusp of a revolution led by the very youth we’re now sending out into the world.

School strikes demanding that the older generations — the ones with the political and economic power — have been breaking out, primarily in Europe and America, demanding that we substantively address climate change before it’s too late.

There was one such strike in Albuquerque this month, with students walking out of school to protest the lack of action being taken to counter the impending crisis. UNM’s Daily Lobo reported that more than 200 teenagers participated in the demonstration.

One of the strike’s organizers, 14-year-old Izzy Griego, told reporter Andrew Gunn that since the adults aren’t taking charge of the situation, it’s up to the students.

So there’s hope for our future after all. These and other issues need new leaders who will push for new and bold approaches to the problems that threaten our future.

Tom McDonald is editor of the New Mexico Community News Exchange. Contact him at:

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