Climate Change

Book Empowers Kids To Take Climate Action

BROOKLINE, Mass. (WBZ) ― Global warming is in the news almost every day, and the messages can be alarming, especially for kids who don't understand the science.

Some local children are trying to change that by taking climate action, and a new book about the subject is helping this trend spread across the country.

The local children are part of the Baker School's BEAT club -- Brookline Environmental Action Team, which amounts to a weekly after-school climate action club. They are on a mission to make a difference.

"I'm trying to recycle more, walk more and not use a bike and not use the car as much," said Anna Bisikall with BEAT.

"We are trying to make kids and other people aware of global warming," said BEAT member Julian Cranberg.

The kids are concerned about the issue and they realize this is the world they are going to grow up to inherit," said Baker School teacher Yasmine Shariff.

The book "How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate" written specifically for kids is a roadmap to change. The book is written by Lynne Cherry.

"Kids can have a great impact," Cherry said. "They have a lot more power than they realize."

The book empowers kids by teaching them the basics of climate science and getting them involved in the scientific process.

They can help scientists do their studies. In fact, the book outlines dozens of climate studies that kids take part in from butterfly migration to studying weather trends, and even tracking changes in the Arctic Ocean.

Kids can reduce their carbon footprints at home and in their schools.

The book offers simple ideas to do just that from bike riding to stopping bus idling to reusing and recycling.

Kids are starting these recycling programs all over, sometimes in their schools and sometimes in their whole communities.

"I hope that kids wake up their parents," said Cherry.

"We only have one earth, so we need to protect it," said student Yinjian Yang.

Campaign On Teaching Guide is available for educators and ties in nicely with a Web site that outlines climate action activities for parents and kids. Visit www.howweknowclimatechange.com for more information.

Cherry has written several environmental books to empower kids to spark change. Her book the "Great Kapoch Tree" got thousands of students to focus on saving rainforests, resulting in the protection of hundreds of thousands of acres.

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