Here’s how you can ensure Greta Thunberg’s message reaches young minds
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- Sarah Shaffi
- Published
We can make a difference in the fight against climate change, with this one small action.
Activist Greta Thunberg is currently on her way to New York (at the time of writing), where she’ll speak at the UN about climate change.
The 16-year-old has been on a mission to tackle the climate crisis by appealing to governments to cut emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. Her climate strikes have inspired young people across the world to take similar action and strike from school to protest for more to be done about climate change.
Thunberg’s actions have inexplicably led some adults to bully the youngster on social media, with Brexiteer Arron Banks even tweeting that a “freak yachting accident” could befall Thunberg on her journey to New York while one journalist wrote a cruel and ableist takedown of her autism diagnosis.
But those of us that recognise Thunberg’s work for what it is – inspiring and essential – would surely be keen to ensure her message is spread as far and wide as possible.
And now, people have a practical way of doing that, thanks to The Big Green Bookshop and author Melissa Harrison.
The bookshop has launched a crowdfunder which aims to send copies of Thunberg’s book, No One is Too Small to Make a Difference, to schools across the UK.
No One is Too Small to Make a Difference is a collection of Thunberg’s speeches, from those given at the UN to those from mass street protests.
The Big Green Bookshop was inspired by a tweet from Harrison, in which she described seeing a young girl in a bookshop ask for the book.
“Just seen a very little girl go to the counter of a bookshop all by herself and ask for the Greta Thunberg book and they had it and she was allowed to buy it,” tweeted Harrison. “And this is a wonderful and hopeful small thing.”
The Big Green Bookshop originally aimed to give 100 schools 10 copies each of the book by raising £3,000. But it’s since exceeded that target, and is now aiming to raise £10,000.
On its crowdfunding page, a representative from the bookshop wrote: “The title of the book sums up why we think this book is so important. Not only is it a rallying cry for why we must all wake up and fight to protect the living planet, but it’s also an inspirational book with the potential to empower future generations by showing them that no matter who you are, you really can make a difference.”
Donations can be made at Crowdfunder.
Image: Getty