They say climate change has them feeling powerless — and it's frustrating
Global warming and littering are top of mind for these 3 students
Isabella Gascoigne's love for the environment came while travelling since she was very young, calling it one of the most important things in her life.
Climate change is front and centre when it comes to the 17-year-old's worries.
The Windsor, Ont., high school student says she's frustrated about the choices people make every day — directly related to global warming.
"I get very angered and emotional when I hear about things and people disregarding the environment," said Gascoigne.
In part, she blames "climate hypocrisy," especially in the media, among celebrities and even governments.
"I used to go up north a lot to northern Ontario. And I just remember so much snow. Snow to my knees, so much that I couldn't walk. And now it seems like this is declining so much. In the ocean, I visit the Caribbean a lot, there used to be coral. There used to be sea life. And I just find as time goes on, I'm seeing less and less."
WATCH | High school student talks about feeling powerless when it comes to climate change:
Gascoigne says climate change makes her feel powerless.
"I don't feel that I have the power to change things as much as governments and larger corporations do. I think it's very important to empower the people who have the power to do change."
She says she has her own message to people in positions of power as it relates to the environment's long-term care.
"Our climate is as important as the money that you're receiving. I think that's something that a lot of people don't exactly tune in to, especially when you're in such a high position of power."
LISTEN | 17-year-old says not enough is being done to protect the earth's future:
Gascoigne suggests people go on vacations, for walks, or just outside to fully appreciate what the world has to offer like a sunset.
"I feel like once you have that, it could become something that you could care about more and would like to implement change towards."
WATCH | Tecumseh, Ont., teen picks up trash whenever he can:
Nathan Malmberg says the reality is, "we only have one planet."
The Tecumseh, Ont., elementary school student picks up trash wherever and whenever he can.
Malmberg, 13, says he walks to school every day — instead of getting a ride — rain or shine.
"On Friday it was pouring rain outside. I still journeyed off to go to school."
According to Malmberg, everyone needs to do their best to protect the environment because there are no second chances.
"We need to take our part and take action and step up to preserve our environment so the generations after us … have a clean, healthy environment to call home."
He says things he can't control make him the most uneasy, like pollution coming from factories.
"I've always tried to make a part of my life picking up litter around my community."
If someone says "the economy and gas prices are horrible," they're not going to fight back, says Malmberg.
"If you really want to make a difference, you need to step up and take action."
WATCH | Ontario 8th grader frustrated with trash still not being properly disposed:
For as long as she can remember, Charlotte Vanstone says she's always picked up trash and threw it in the nearest garbage container.
The 13-year-old, who's Malmberg's classmate, says she's surprised at how much trash she finds — and that people won't change their ways.
"It kind of makes me mad almost when people say 'they should … go pick up trash,' but then don't do it and they litter themselves," said Vanstone.
LISTEN | Students in Tecumseh swing by to talk trash for Earth Day:
"If you want to make a cleaner earth, in my opinion, you should work toward that goal. We don't have to be picking up your trash. You should not even be throwing it on the ground to begin with."
Vanstone says her goal is to live in a world where it's normal behaviour to make Earth clean and not just some "wasteland."