This diverse group of youth opened my eyes to all aspects and ways to tackle climate change.
After initiating the Eco Eaters project in my community in Tahoe, I was very fortunate to be invited to present about our project at the POP International Conference and Festival in Nueva Vallarta, Mexico.
The POP Festival was an international youth conference where students gathered to share their experiences and projects to network with other activists and build on their ideas. This diverse group of youth opened my eyes to all aspects and ways to tackle climate change. From a college student in Mexico who started an Environmental Index in his school to an 18-year old from Atlanta, GA who started an organization called One More Generation and got Delta Airlines to ban all single-use plastics in their company, there were a plethora of amazing, creative solutions. I was able to network many youth activists from all over the world to work off of each others ideas and projects and combine groups to create a larger impact.
Along with these incredible youth activists, there were many adult motivational speakers. One speaker in particular, the founder of POP and former chairman of the IPCC in the UN, Dr. R.K. Pachauri, resonated with me and reminded me of the reason why we were even attending the conference. He discussed the disasters threatening our earth as it endures the widespread impacts of climate change and motivated me to make change, as the youth are the only hope now that can make a true difference.
Here is a more in-depth article about the POP International Conference and Festival.