“There are several governmental and nonprofit organizations that are concerned with the environment and helping the environment,” said Hau. Due to Fresno’s chronic pollution, organizations and governmental agencies like Valley Air Quality Control Board, the Department of Fish and Game, Cal Trans, San Joaquin River Parkway & Conservation Trust, I Bike Fresno and Fresno’s Department of Public Utilities (DPU) – Solid Waste Division are working toward raising awareness, cleaning up the city, and developing new ways to improve our environment.
National Geographic recently noted resno’s environmental efforts. The article highlighted that “Fresno is among the nation’s leaders in recycling,” and “diverts a whopping 73 percent of its trash from the landfill.” Fresno has made great progress toward making an environmental change in the world with the help of government administered programs. With the threat of the potential privatization of our recycling program it is hard to predict what will become of our city’s recycling progress and whether we will continue to be a leader in recycling.
After learning of the many professional organizations involved in improving the health of Fresno’s environment, I wondered if any young people were doing their part to help. I became connected to Edison High School Environmental Awareness Club to learn about the effort they’re making.
“The easiest and most effective way to get teens involved in our environmental conservation effort is to inform and encourage them through clubs,” said Darlene Avila, President of Edison High School’s Environmental Awareness Club. “Clubs at school and in the community motivate those who are in them. Youth work together as a whole for the better of the community or to accomplish the goal they are set out to reach.”
Teens are aware of how grave the conditions are for the environment but their definition of helping is usually raising awareness through social websites. This is a good first step, but in order to truly make a change in the world it’s also necessary to take action. Teens need to move the social movement forward but also contribute more to the physical part of it.
As teenagers it might seem as if we aren’t impacting our community because we are not yet adults. The reality is that we are the future and what we believe and support is what will shape our world. The little things that we can do, such as reusing bottles, recycling cans and using our own durable bags when grocery shopping are of great importance.
These actions are small and don’t bring about immediate change, but the idea behind them is powerful. By taking a bit of time to accomplish these tasks you can influence others to make change. Once you influence someone else they will influence another and the domino effect takes place, because they’ll realize how important and effective one person’s actions can be to the movement. When we have the same amount of people acting to care for the environment as have people talking about it, will we have truly made a difference on our planet. Teens need to move the social movement forward but also contribute more to the physical part of it.
In 2006, over 25 youth began participating in weekly after-school writing workshops where they congregated in the hallway of a two-story building in West Fresno and learned the essentials of creating media and telling their stories. The group evolved over the next five years and is now proudly recognized as The kNOw Youth Media.
Through our program, we create opportunities for our youth participants, who in turn create long-term positive change in their communities. Our approach weaves youth development and youth media innovation to produce our biannual youth publication, multimedia projects, and community forums.
The kNOw began as a project of New America Media, which was the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations. In 2018 The kNOw became a project of Youth Leadership Institute.
