The One Thing We Need More than Hope, is Action

No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg

This book of compiled speeches by climate activist Greta Thunberg is beautiful. From her first speech in Stockholm in September 2018 to a speech a year later at a Climate Strike in Montreal, you can see her growth as an activist and as a speaker.

In her signature style, Thunberg is clear and to the point. Her frustration is palpable as her speeches continue, with closing lines changing from "Our lives are in your hands," to "The real power belongs to the people," to "We are the change and the change is coming." 

Regardless of rhetorical style, Thunburg's signature talking points remain the same: 

• We must keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius to avoid a "nightmare scenario"
• Rich countries must reduce emissions more drastically so under-developed countries can create infrastructure other countries have already built: "how can we expect countries like India or Nigeria to care about the climate crisis if we, who already have everything, don't care even a second about it?"
• The public has intentionally been kept in the dark about the seriousness of the climate crisis by world leaders and the media: "No one talks about it. There are no headlines, no emergency meetings, no breaking news. No one is acting as if we were in a crisis."
• Leaders need to listen to the scientists: "We already have all the facts and solutions. All we have to do is wake up and change."
• This is not political: "Because the climate and the biosphere don't care about our politics and our empty words for a single second."

You can see Thunberg speaking here in a TED Talk that includes some biographical details, including the role that autism has played in her activism. You can hear a pin drop in the audience while she speaks, hitting all her talking points listed above. Her speeches are in English, not her native language, which is also incredibly impressive watching as an American where most of us are monolingual.

Greta Thunberg: Teen Climate Activist by Rachel Rose

You can learn more about Thunberg herself in Greta Thunberg: Teen Climate Activist by Rachel Rose. This biography is written with a young audience in mind, which is a great starting place for any interested reader.

Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker

Thunberg has also inspired other works, including the picture book Greta and the Giants. You can check the book out from the Library, or listen to it in one of our weekly Digital Storytimes: Land of the Giants.

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Have you ever attended a climate strike or other environmental event? Did you see Greta speak in person when she visited Iowa?