Youth Taking Collective Action

Many young people report feeling overwhelmed with concern for their future, particularly when faced with the challenges of climate change. A 2024 study of over 15,000 youth aged 16-25 found that 85% of respondents were at least moderately worried about the impact of climate change on people and our planet, with 42% reporting that climate change has a negative impact on their mental health..In the face of such a global issue, individual actions can feel insignificant, leading to even greater feelings of powerlessness. On the other hand, collective action, action taken by a group of individuals with shared concerns rather than on one’s own, may be the key to lowering climate anxiety and providing those who take part with a sense of agency over their future. In the face of this climate anxiety, young students can tackle collective action projects to help overcome feelings of powerlessness. 

Youth in Eagle County have countless opportunities to participate in collective action, from environmental conservation projects to community service initiatives and local advocacy campaigns. An exemplar of collective action are the presence of Green Teams at schools throughout the county - particularly at our local high schools. High school green teams exemplify collective action by uniting students to tackle environmental challenges through teamwork, innovative projects, and community outreach.  

On a frigid Friday morning in January, the Eagle Valley High School Green Team arrived to class early equipped with hot glue guns and staplers. They attached empty soda cans, paper napkins, and snack wrappers to color-coded pieces of poster board. Their mission was to help their classmates better understand how to sort their cafeteria waste by final destination: recycling, compost, and landfill.

This is just one of the many actions that the Green Teams of Eagle County have taken to build a more sustainable community through environmental leadership. Other collective actions taken on by Eagle County Green Teams include:

• Selling and planting over 150 tree saplings, helping to offset their school’s carbon.
• Gifting sets of reusable silverware to their schools’ faculties, eliminating the need for disposable utensils in the staff lounges. 
• Hosting clothing swaps, allowing students to pass on their gently-used garments to their peers rather than the landfill. Green Team member Charli remarked, “I’ve donated to thrift shops, but it’s much more powerful when it’s for your classmates. The clothing swaps have been the highlight of my year, all four years.”
  
  

While working with Walking Mountains, Green Team students seek solutions, gain leadership experience, and develop a community of like-minded peers.“It’s nice having a group of people that are like-minded,” said Green Team member Mikaela. “I’ve seen new members become more optimistic since joining. There are a lot of people trying to make a difference.”  Though headlines and articles about the world’s negative environmental affairs make it easy to slip into pessimism, Green Teams provide a sense of hope and community to Eagle County’s youth.  “To me, environmental leadership means influencing others in your community to become aware of their actions without being condescending,” said Green Team member Ella. “If I can make change and influence others to make change, it becomes more of a hopeful thing.” Through collective action and leadership development, students are able to not only make their schools and communities more sustainable, but are also more prepared to be the next generation of environmental stewards. 

Green Teams worked together to plant over 150 saplings last Spring.

Youth looking for opportunities to get involved in collective action can consider the following options:

• Join Walking Mountains Zero Waste Team: At public events throughout the Valley, Walking Mountains volunteers ensure anything that can be recycled or composted is sorted out of general trash. 
• Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance’s (VVMTA) Youth Trail Stewards: This program provides opportunities for people 18 and under to learn the basics of trail maintenance. 
• Rocky Mountain Youth Corps: this summer, youth ages 14-18 can engage in conservation projects ranging from trail building to invasive species management (applications open January 31st!).

While challenges remain, youth-led collective action offers a hopeful vision for the future. With their energy, innovation, and determination, we can be optimistic that a healthier planet is within our reach.

David Geddes is a second-year Foley Graduate Fellow at Walking Mountains. He is passionate about helping other people to experience, appreciate, and understand the natural world. When not working with the next generation of environmental stewards, he enjoys skiing, hiking, biking, and hammocking.