To environmental Stewards

I have been an environmental activist for five years now. Gaining hindsight, I deem it is important to study the arguments against Global Warming & Climate Change as well as to never impose environmental implications on people (unless they are willing). I would love to have your input in this one particular argument that is surfacing due to Antartica’s remote location and lack of weather stations.

Argument on Global Average Warming & Arctic warming in Antartica:

"Warming can reduce sea level. Warming can take water out of the ocean through evaporation and deposit it on the continent in the form of increased snow fall." This is supposedly happening in western anatartica. Data would be appreciated. Thank you.

2008 - For the generations after us

Esperanza Garcia 2008-2009
To put some sense into this life...

1. Scholar/ Youth Representative/ Co-founder for The Global Summit (TGS)

Links: http://theglobalsummit.org/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33101440@N03/3087457255/sizes/l/

Info: The Global Summit™ (TGS) is a social, economic, and environmental event produced by Empowerment Works (EW), a nonprofit organization promoting global partnerships for a sustainable world. Each year, citizens, organizations, and businesses who participate in The Global Summit™ are able to join forces and, together, become vehicles of positive change.

Action: Gained full scholarship at The Global Summit, had the position of Youth representative, and I was able to give young individuals from all over the world to become youth scholars for the event. The youth included Chloe Hall (US), Isabella Schlipp (US), Josefa Isabel Garcia (Philippines), Emmanuel Onywera (Africa), Asha Castleberry (US), Carla Banson (Philippines), and Miguel Toro (Puerto Rico). The International Youth Council was one of the co-founders of the event.

Scholars & Youth Representatives at the Global Summit

2. Founder of Eco-design & Sustainable Development Facebook Group

Link: http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2209038152&ref=ts

Info: Acknowledging Humanitarian, Ecological, and Economical design solutions that promote sustainable developments.

Action: I started the facebook group in 2006 to be able to meet other people who had knowledge on sustainable developments. Initially, there were less than a hundred members in the first year to almost 3,500 members to this date. Only proving even more how critical people want to be involved in this critical issue—Global Warming & Climate Change.


3. Director of Global Warming & Climate Change Initiatives for the International Youth Council and GLACCIER Campaign

Link: http://glaccier.blogspot.com/
http://glaccier-ph.ning.com/
http://internationalyouthcouncil.blogspot.com/

Info: Global Legal Action on Climate Change for International Environmental Responsibility (GLACCIER) and Internatonal Youth Council (IYC) are now emerging to take action against the present ongoing impact of climate changes and global heating.

Action: Gathering young individuals from all over the world who will work closely with top environmental lawyers that are willing to take action against any person or entity who fails or refuses to abide by our efforts. We are building on a great global case analysis.


The International Youth council in action. With Farah Al-Azab (Jordan), Kinga Katus (Hungary), Ahmad Alhindawi (Jordan), Eric Dales (Canada), Elizabeth (US), Asha Castleberry (US), Jaime Ansorge (US), and Angela Jhanji (UK)


4. Chief Campaigner for the Youth for the Philippine Green Building Council

Link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35113313025
http://philgbc.org/

Info: The Philippine Green Building Council is the leading green building campaign in the Philippines. A non-stock, non-profit organization in the Philippines focusing on the promotion of sustainable building practices in the industry.


Action: Gathering students from all over the Philippines to engage in sustainable practices and designs. Currently proposing a Phil. GBC Student Campus Campaign

with Chris de la Cruz, Chairman and President at The Philippine Green Building Council, Romy de Jesus, UAP President, & Bianca Araneta, Earth Hour Philippines WWF ambassador, at the Philippine Green Building Forum

5. Global Youth Leader for the Youth Assembly at the United Nations

Link: http://www.faf.org/unyouthassembly/testimonials.htm
http://www.faf.org/unyouthassembly/ya_home.htm

Info: The Youth Assembly is an annual gathering of hundreds of young people from around the world who seek practical ways to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, global networking and social entrepreneurship skills as well as meeting with and contributing to civil society formally affiliated with the United Nations. The Youth Assembly is about showing how one person can make a difference by engaging with the challenges of the present and being an educated and active citizen.

Action: Attended the Youth Assembly at the United Nations leadership seminar, met young individuals, all equally inspirational, devoted, and accomplished, each wanting to make a big difference in the world. Led a presentation to find solutions with representatives from Australia, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, & Philippines and presented our solution on Climate Change & Education, which included a low-cost, self-sufficient building solution that integrated environmental awareness in the school curriculum in Nigeria.

with Tessa Satherley (Australia), Miguel Toro (Puerto Rico), & Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere Micheal (Nigeria): Presenting our solution on Climate Change & Education

Global Youth Leaders 2008

6. Volunteer for the Ecocity World Summit, Green Festival, and West Coast Green since 2007

Link: http://www.ecocityworldsummit.org/index.htm,
http://www.westcoastgreen.com/
http://www.greenfestivals.org/

Info:
Ecocity World Summit 2008 - Usher's Crowd Control for Mayor's Conference
The Ecocity World Summit is a conference that gathered many of the world's best and brightest speakers, moderators and delegates representing the Ecocity approach.

Green festival 2007 & 2008 - Speaker Room Attendant
Green Festival is the largest sustainability event in the world.

West Coast Green 2007 & 2008 - Hospitality Staff
West Coast Green is the largest venue for green innovation, building, business, and design.

Action: Supporting and networking with individuals & organizations in pursuit of sustainable developments.

WEST COAST GREEN DESIGN CHARETTE: Building an Ecocity-- Planning West Oakland, CA with great minds, including Richard Register, founder of Ecocity Builders.

Volunteering at the Ecocity World Summit '08 with Dr. Serigne Mbaye Diene


7. AAU Student Representative to "Clean & Green the SF Community"

Info: Volunteering to "Clean & Green the SF Community, Schools, and Parks"


Action: Celebrating Earth Day by cleaning schools & parks & serving as the assistant of the AAU Vice President. Gathered fellow students to help Green and Clean John O' Connell High School & St. Mary Playground. We helped in beautifying the neighborhood in District 9.

Serving as Student Representative of Academy of Art University to 'Clean and Green' communities in San Francisco


8. Intern at Architecture International

Link: http://www.arch-intl.com/
egarcia@arch-intl.com

Info: A U.S. based architecture design firm providing architecture, urban planning, and interior design services

Action: Gained experience and hindsight on working in a world-renowned architecture firm. Increased network in the building industry. Developed design skills and learned more about architecture, urban planning, and interior design.

Meeting on green architecture with Winston G., President and General Manager of GSIS, GSIS associates, and John Sheehy & William Higgins, bosses at Architecture International at the GSIS headquarters, Manila, Philippines.

More of 2008

More of 2008
For the generations after us.

"Cleaning & Greening" the SF Community. Celebrating Earth Day 2008 by cleaning schools & parks & serving as the assistant of the AAU Vice President.

Teaching kids how recycling can be fun!

Teaching kids the letter "E" for Earth!

UN

Global Youth Leaders 2008 Youth Assembly UN

with Sim van der Ryn at West Coast Green; Acknowledged as a leader in "Sustainable Architecture" at West Coast Green

Group hug with Dr. Arun Gandhi & Dr. Elaine Valdov



John Sheehy, Sherry Caplan, & William Higgins of Architecture International (my bosses at AI)

with Leaders, Architects, & Teachers of Green Design of Academy of Art University & UC Berkeley. Eric Corey Freed, Micheal Sammet, Craig Henritzy at the Ecocity World Summit in San Francisco

Celebrating Obama's victory in Union Square

World Affairs Council Global Citizenship Award scholars honoring Muhammad Yunus

with Asha Castleberry, Director of Finance and Global Partnerships of the International Youth Council and our friend from the Amazon jungle!

UN

Inspiration.

Against All Odds

The Youth Assembly is an annual gathering of hundreds of young people from around the world who seek practical ways to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, global networking and social entrepreneurship skills as well as meeting with and contributing to civil society formally affiliated with the United Nations. The Youth Assembly is about showing how one person can make a difference by engaging with the challenges of the present and being an educated and active citizen.

Last year, I came to the Youth Assembly with no agenda. I was hopeful, and inspired – but I did not know what to expect. It was humbling to be around young individuals, all equally inspirational, devoted, and accomplished, each wanting to make a big difference in the world. I look at this picture and I think, what have I done to get here? Amongst me are accomplished young individuals – and the one thing that I share with them is a passion to change the world.

Let us count the ways. The ever-so-powerful Angela Jhanji from the UK. I am convinced that she will be will be the next UK prime minister, if not, equally as powerful. An International Delegate for London for the Global Youth Parliament, at 19 years of age, and she is already reigning her end of the world. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere Micheal, the Youth Ambassador for Nigeria; Imo State. It was reported by BBC news that the happiest people in the world live in Nigeria. Micheal held true to this nature. He was vocal about critical issues challenging our society today and conveyed this with a smile. The ever-so-brilliant Tessa Satherley, a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar doing her studies on Physics, Political Science, Conflict Resolution, Middle Eastern Studies while living in the Middle East. The good-person, Haruka Tanabe, another Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar doing her studies on International Relations, Political Science, and International Law. A Model UN Delegate of Hungary, Kinga Katus, who is always diplomatic and truthful. The one who inspires, Miguel Toro Gutiérrez. Founder of "Inspire" who help inspire young men and women by giving them hope of becoming successful leaders in their respective communities around the world. Motivated young individual, Amy Brownstein, who was the only US representative, and at a young age, was globally aware. Farah Al-azab from Jordan, the ever-so-loving and strong woman who has a powerful mind of her own. The one who always stands out, Jillian Thomsen. At 16 years of age, already an advocate for the civil and human rights for young people in Australia, having already immersed herself in multiple leadership conferences and volunteers with World Vision. She was one of the most inspirational beings I have met by far. This list can go on endlessly, and I don’t even think that can do justice to the gratification that I have from meeting all the above.

When I was 11 years of age, I had a feeling that made me just know that I was destined to do something great. I had no desire to be famous, but I wanted to do great things at a magnitude enough to save other lives, other than my own. At 11, this must have been quite difficult to succumb to, and indeed it was.

My teen years came and “my calling” wasn’t quite a great reflection in my life. I was a true rebel – without a cause at times. Despite my rebellion, I was able to manage to become part of the student government. I was awkward like that, an academic failure and yet socially appealing. If you asked someone in high school, who would be the least likely to succeed, I confess, I would probably be in the top 10.

College came and I was no less immature than I was in high school, but I still had that passion-- the passion to change lives. With that passion, and the help of family and friends, I was able to produce a fundraising event which also included a concert. I was fortunate enough to meet with a man named Dabs from World Vision in the Philippines. Dabs was one of the aid workers from World Vision who dedicated his whole life to give education and a decent life to the thousands of Filipino children from extremely low-income families. If there was a man who was changing lives, it would be Dabs, God knows those families need him. He helped me arrange the week long fundraising event and brought amazing children with talent who weren’t able to support their own lives to my university in the Philippines, sure enough, the students who saw these kids sing were floored. All the proceeds went to World Vision, and after a week of events for World Vision, we were able to break the record of most sponsored children by a university. This wasn’t in our agenda, but, it’s what we made possible.

It was then when I realized, how much the power of one (with the help of family and friends) could make a difference. Four years ago, still wanting to make a difference in the world, and that passion was channeled into environmental advocacy. Since then, I got myself immersed in conferences to further my knowledge on environmental awareness. In these conferences, I was able to meet amazing individuals from diverse professions, each contributing to sustainable development. I started a facebook group three years ago to be able to meet other people on the similar interests and learn from them. Initially, there were less than a hundred members in the first year to almost 3,500 members to this date. Only proving even more how critical people want to be involved in this critical issue—Global Warming & Climate Change. The hindsight I gained from these experiences is more than any education I could ever pay for. When I do something in relation to my passion, I don’t question it, I just know that I have to do it (it's quite strange). It is due to these Global Youth Leaders that I met at the Youth Assembly in the UN that will enable me to pursue that passion even further. They are a reminder of the time that I had when I was 11 and thought that I would actually do something to change the world, they are already changing the world themselves.

San Francisco’s Generation Y is responsible for their own existence – and the generation after them

Picture: AAU "Clean & Green SF Community" Team!




“The only ethical decision is to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children." (Mollsion, 1990)

The youth have an enormous impact in the present and future state of the planet. UNESCO states that “The lifestyles of the youth influence commerce and media - and shape the process of production, marketing, and consumption patterns of goods and services.” As future workers, entrepreneurs, parents, political leaders, and policy makers, it is integral to create an environment that will influence their future decisions and actions to benefit the generation after them. In 2007, United States ranked 1st as a global warming polluter, compared to other large nations. The youth drive the market in media, fashion, and entertainment, but there is a lack in influence in integral and critical issues that is responsible for their future – the disastrous effects of global warming.

Generation Y includes anyone that was born after 1981. San Francisco’s population profile states that 1/4 of the San Francisco residents are below 30, and considered as part of Generation Y. The young generation ais acknowledging that climate change initiatives must be taken but, there is a lack of participation. "My generation's biggest icons aren't politicians and Nobel Peace Prize Laureates — they're rappers and rock stars," said Luke Ramersad, a junior at Lowell High School, San Francisco, Calif. In the United States, there has yet to be a single bill passed by Congress to cut global warming pollution. Yet, is it common to see a young San Francisco resident lobbying for stronger climate change policies?”

With 80% of the world’s CO2 coming from cities, it is evident that the youth’s actions and lifestyle are responsible for the mitigation of climate change. The U.S. Census Bureau and the National Geographic Society’s Green Guide states that San Francisco is the second greenest city in the US, after Portland. San Francisco is one of the cities that have leaders that support the environment. Mayor Gavin Newsom, is aiming for 75 % waste diversion by 2010 and have Zero-waste by 2020. Most importantly, Mayor Newsom believes in integrating environmental awareness in the education system. “I’d like to see comprehensive curriculum in our schools as it relates to environmental stewardship. I’d like this city to be the example for the rest of the country,” says Newsom at an interview with Ecocity World Summit. Agenda 21, the sustainable development blueprint for the 21st Century, recognized in Chapter 36 that education, public awareness, and training are critical for sustainable development, and that participation and involvement of young people, alongside other eight major groups, are essential in its implementation .

Jared Blumenfeld, Director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment, thinks that the biggest sustainability challenge is sustaining people’s attention, “It’s difficult because we’re competing for people’s attention. So, keeping it relevant and interesting and cool and impactful is the constant challenge,” he says. How can San Francisco engage the youth in tGlobal Warming & Climate Change and use their power to create positive change?

In the upcoming months, Obama’s greatest challenge is to find a careful balance stimulating the economy and investing in the long-term future of the environment, said Raj, the professor of economics for Univeresity of California, Berkeley. Sustainable development is defined by Britannica as “an approach to economic planning that attempts to foster economic growth while preserving the quality of the environment for future generations.” Development begins with the community and it is only sustainable if it is supported by members of these communities. It is not only about 10% of the population reducing their carbon footprint, it is people working collectively together in the community to contribute in enhancing the environment. The San Francisco community should propose a budget plan that provides the youth with an opportunity to acknowledge and support sustainable development. The youth imposing and practicing sustainable development will benefit future generations to come.

If Global Warming and mitigating Climate Change had the attention of Generation Y, they will affect their parents, the media and help the economy move forward in a direction that will benefit not only their generation, but the generation after them. Al Gore, while accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, said at the end of his speech, “Make no mistake, the next generation will ask us one of two questions. Either they will ask: “What were you thinking; why didn’t you act?” Or they will ask instead: “How did you find the moral courage to rise and successfully resolve a crisis that so many said was impossible to solve?” The Generation Y has an opportunity to become that generation, and we can start in San Francisco, the city mentioned by Newsom “We’re about civil rights and equal rights, you better believe it.”



Work Cited:
“Global Warming by the Numbers. Chilling statistics to think about.” Environmental Defense Fund. 24 Febuary 2009.
Corcoran, Peter; Blaze, Peter. “Young People, Education, and Sustainable Development. Exploring Principles, Perspectives, and Praxis Editors. 2 February 2009. < www.fgcu.edu/CESE/Files/Kitabu_Concept_Statement.pdf>

“San Francisco Visionaries.” Ecocity World Summit. 6 February 2008.

Barabak, Mark. “San Francisco’s Mayor Gavin Newsom launches exploratory bid for governor.” LA Times. 2 July 2008. http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/02/local/me-newsom2
“San Francsico: Population Profile.” City Data. 21 February 2009. < http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-West/San-Francisco-Population-Profile.html >

Vaccaro, Amie. “Interview with Jared Blumenfeld, Director, San Francisco Department of the Environment.’October 17th, 2008

“Sustainable Development.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 25 Feb. 2009. < http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/765435/environmental-law/224618/Sustainable-development#ref=ref750231>

Leach, Adam. “Global recession - keeping business at the heart of sustainable development.”19 November 2008. http://www.iblf.org/resources/ebulletin/November08.htm

Azadeh, Anzari. “Energy, economy create balancing act for Obama.” CNN. 30 January 2009.
Climate Change, Global Warming, San Francisco, Youth Activism, Youth, Education, Environment, Gavin Newsom, Generation Y>