Amplifying youth voices for climate change

2021 Miss Northern Marianas Earth Crystal Fiona Rio talks about climate change, and how starting small—doing eco-friendly practices at home, can help a lot. (Contributed Photo)

Early this March, at the 43rd Annual Research Conference held by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences of the University of Guam, Diana Mallanao shared her study on UOG students’ perspectives and knowledge on climate change, and how these affect their environmental awareness and decisions.

In the study, which involved around 30 students, Mallanao found that being knowledgeable about climate change and believing it is real is not sufficient to increase awareness and decisions that are for the environment. This is attributed to two factors—people are not being directly or severely affected yet by climate change or that “they just do not care enough to do better.”

Talking about climate change solutions is almost a matter of choosing “convenience over sustainability,” which Mallanao hopes everyone can work on eliminating as a habit. The student also recommended that there be community effort—for local businesses to implement eco-friendly practices such as removing the use of single-use plastics, and for the government to implement policies that could boost Guam’s environmental awareness.

Climate change is not just a concern for the youth in Guam, but also here in the CNMI.

The back-to-back super typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu that hit the island have left a mark in the community, especially the youth, as they bore witness to their very own homes and schools being destroyed. And perhaps this is why the youth here are not just aware but are also active in environmental campaigns and events.

“Every year, our typhoons get stronger because of climate change,” Northern Marianas College student Brent Michael Espinosa told Saipan Tribune as he recalled the super typhoons that had hit the island.

“Global warming, the main cause of climate change, causes our typhoons to get stronger. This, in turn, causes our islands to be that much more destroyed once the typhoon hits, for example, with Typhoon Yutu in 2018. It was the strongest typhoon ever which scientists most attribute to climate change—the world just keeps getting warmer and warmer.”

Espinosa, who was volunteering at a beach cleanup at the time of the interview, also said that beaches and reefs are primarily affected by climate change.

While the NMC student does not think that there is a way to truly reverse all that has been happening because of climate change, he believes that its effects can be slowly mitigated.

“I think we can at least slow that down and stop it at the point where we’re at right now—by doing what we’re doing, environmental awareness, doing cleanups, being vigilant about where we throw our trash, be aware of how we care for our island because we live here. It is for us.”

2021 Miss NMI Earth Crystal Fiona Rio, also an NMC student, had a timely recommendation, especially with the rising gas prices. “For us to better take care of our environment, regarding climate change, I think it will be best to focus more on our fossil fuel usages. Especially now that gas [prices have] gone up, I believe people will be more aware of how much gas they’re using, and also with how much the electricity they’re using as well.”

The burning of fossil fuels—basically to produce energy, generate electricity, and to power engines—are known to have radically increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, making the Earth warmer and warmer.

“I think it really would really help if they start small at home—turning off the lights and unplugging things that aren’t being used; using the car les—if it’s just a short trip, you can either carpool or work around with friends or other people that you know to go to different places, and if not, then public transportation,” Rio added.

The NMI Miss Earth also expressed hopes for the government to implement more public transit systems to benefit both locals and tourists, for all to be able to efficiently go to different places without having to drive or waste gas getting lost around the island.

Islandwide cleanup
Over the weekend, 123 volunteers joined forces, in an answer to community group Island Keeper CNMI’s call to clean up the Old Man by the Sea. Collectively, they picked up 1,000 lbs of trash, including a 200-lb tire, and 187 lbs of micro-plastic.

Volunteerism does not stop there as it is time, yet again, to prepare for the islandwide cleanup! In celebration of Environmental Awareness Month of April, the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality is inviting everyone to participate on this year’s islandwide cleanup, happening on Friday, April 22, from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, and on Saturday, April 23, from 8am to 10am.

“Defend our Planet/Difendi i tano’ta/Atelághi faluwasch” and volunteer! Government agencies, schools, and private organizations are encouraged to participate. BECQ will be providing trash bags, gloves, drinking water, and hauling services.

To volunteer and identify the area you want to clean up—or to learn more, email Tom Pangelinan (tom.pangelinan@becq.gov.mp) or Edward S. Dela Cruz (edward.delacruz@becq.gov.mp), or call (670) 664-8500.