{"id":7072,"date":"2021-11-16T16:33:07","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T08:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/eastasia\/?p=7072"},"modified":"2021-11-16T16:37:27","modified_gmt":"2021-11-16T08:37:27","slug":"lets-talk-about-climate-change-who-cares-about-cop26-4-young-climate-activists-in-hong-kong-tell-you-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/eastasia\/blog\/7072\/lets-talk-about-climate-change-who-cares-about-cop26-4-young-climate-activists-in-hong-kong-tell-you-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Talk About Climate Change: Who cares about COP26? 4 Young Climate Activists in Hong Kong Tell You More"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Friday is the day when we are planning for weekend activities. Four teens aged from 8 to 15 however persistently spend their Fridays to spread the messages of climate crisis via their #FridaysForFuture actions. It has been 3 years since two of the teens have joined the cause. Have you ever realized you could help play a part and combat climate change in your daily life? Let\u2019s find out what these young climate change fighters want to share with us.<\/p>\n\n

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4 Hong Kong Teen Climate Activists, (from left) Max, Reaha, Dhaanya and Enna, insist on getting to the street every single Friday for our #FridaysForFuture Campaign. They are determined to persuade more people to take green actions against climate change. \u00a9 Greenpeace \/ Patrick Cho<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

It was the last Friday in October, we met with 4 Hong Kong teen climate activists at the Central Pier to join them in #FridaysForFuture actions. The location of their climate actions differs from time to time, and the meeting schedule floats liquidly with the teens. This time, the primary school sisters, Dhaanya and Reaha, arrived all the way long from Discovery Bay and had to rush back for their evening training back on the island, while the two secondary boys, Max and Ennan, joined the sisters in the late after school.<\/p>\n\n

Dhaanya & Reaha, in their third-year fight<\/h2>\n\n
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Reaha, the younger sister (left) started joining her sister, Dhaaya (right), for the #FridaysForFuture since she was 5 years old when Dhaaya reached 7 then. \u00a9 Greenpeace \/ Patrick Cho<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

As climate change fighters, the two sisters have a clear mission. Dhaanya, the elder sister, pointed out directly, “We have 3 major objectives: 1. a fossil-fuel-free future<\/strong>, 2. Hong Kong as an international exemplar (in combating climate changes)<\/strong>, and 3. a drop in beef consumption in Hong Kong<\/strong>“.<\/p>\n\n

Each of the duos wrote some key pitching lines on a big carton-paper placard and held it straight up to display to the general public on the street. Taking the failing experience of their first action at Tung Chung, they realized that rather than standing still, they should proactively spread the climate change messages to the passers-by. <\/p>\n\n

Reaha is usually responsible for the placard with 10 #ClimateActions. They asked any strangers they met to pick any numbers from 1 to 10, and based on the number(s) chosen, the girls explained a simple green action one could readily achieve in daily life, e.g. a 5-min shower, bring-your-own-bag, etc.<\/p>\n\n

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Reaha and Dhaanga suggested we \u201ctake a small step for climate change on a daily basis. Together, we can take a big leap forward (in combating the adverse effects of climate change).\u201d \u00a9 Greenpeace \/ Patrick Cho<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The three pillars for changes are the principle backing up the young girls\u2019 actions: individual, community and system<\/strong>. The 8-year-old Reaha elaborated it with a \u201cdiamond of change<\/strong>\u201d model: at the bottom of the diamond are individuals; with joint efforts, their power will level up to influence the community as a whole, bottom-up the changes to the system level. To Dhaanya, there is undoubtedly a need to reinforce changes by both governments and systems to address the climate change issues. At this stage, the changes are still carried out on the individual level, leaving much space for more decision-makers to tap in to visualize the changes required.<\/p>\n\n

They embrace the values of \u201ccircular economy<\/strong>\u201d which in essence is to maximize the life of all resources. They look forward to seeing it as a common practice in the community. The young girls\u2019 mother proudly shared with us how she was inspired by the kids\u2019 questions: why do you need to buy something new when you have enough at home? <\/p>\n\n

They have a very catchy and precise description of how the society works under the current “linear economy” model, which is \u201cproduce produce produce, use use use, and waste waste waste\u201d. The two girls encouraged us to think of 3 questions before shopping:<\/p>\n\n

  1. Do you need it?<\/li>
  2. Do you have it?<\/li>
  3. Do you want it?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n

    In practice, the mother of the two girls was wearing a birthday gift given to her 20 years ago while the two girls were wearing second-handed clothes during the interview. They lead their life as a role model to make a difference to the current over-production-and-consumption practice and take real action to help reduce waste from the source.<\/p>\n\n

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    Dhaanya and Reaha invited individuals once interacted with them to spread their message on social media, to concert more forces in saving the world climate \u00a9 Greenpeace \/ Patrick Cho<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n