YOUTH-LED INITIATIVES
WHEN YOUTH LEAD, OUR PLANET WINS.
WATCH #rebearthday VIDEOHeirs to Our Ocean (H2OO) supports youth who want to take action to create a better future for themselves. Action may be organizing a “sweep and brand audit” to determine the worst plastic polluting companies to seek regulations that put responsibility on corporations. Action may be a campaign to seek behavior change, such as #rebEARTHday launched at Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, where youth around the world made videos and shared how we can care for our Water Planet as a “way”, not just a day. Action may be an initiative that is intended to create awareness such as H2OO’s youth-formed and youth-led RAISE (Regenerative Agriculture and Indigenous Systems for our Environment).
H2OO also provides skill-building and connection opportunities to youth who have formed their own nonprofit, inspired by what they have personally experienced and committed to making a healthier world for their generation.
YOUTH-LED INITIATIVES
H2OO OPERATION GLOBAL SWEEP
Operation Global Sweep was designed by H2OO youth leaders who wanted to take the plastic pollution crises head on. It involves organizing a “sweep” — not a “clean up”, because we now know we cannot just clean plastic pollution up — and a brand audit. A brand audit allows for data collection of the worst offending companies of plastic pollution, as identified in the sampling of plastics collected, then upload on Break Free From Plastic’s website where data is collected from around the world and policy change can be sought to require responsibility and accountability of polluting corporations.
H2OO has mobilized 400+ youth from over 9 countries and occupied lands in Operation Global Sweep.
WATCH VIDEOThrough Operation Global Sweep youth:
Become educated on land-sea pollution and how single-use plastic pollution affects our waters and human health
Understand that we can no longer “clean it up”, there is no “away”, and why “recycling” is not a solution, as microplastics are so pervasive and plastic doesn’t biodegrade yet corporations continue to promote putting responsibility on people
Feel empowered collecting data of brands of plastic pollution so that policy may be developed requiring corporate responsibility for their future
RAISE
H2OO youth located in the U.S. formed the Regenerative Agriculture and Indigenous Systems for Our Environment (RAISE) initiative to sound the alarm on the harms of industrialized agricultural practices. RAISE developed a team of strong, critical-thinking young leaders who are concerned about the impacts of the climate crisis, food insecurity, water pollution, coastal marine harm, as well as a loss of the biodiversity that keeps the world’s soil healthy. More so, RAISE has solutions!
Read more in the team’s research paper – “Regeneration for the Next Generation” – reviewed by scientists and holders of traditional knowledge.
DOWNLOAD PAPER
#rebEARTHday CAMPAIGN
When Earth Day turned 50 years old, H2OO youth leaders saw clearly that Earth Day was merely celebrated once a year and through a lot of corporate greenwashing. Our shared planet and humanity needed more than another Earth Day. H2OO youth leaders created the #rebEARTHday campaign in 2020, with videos made by youth around the world highlighting issues affecting them, sharing solutions, and mostly importantly raising awareness on how Earth Day is “a way, not a day.”
Earth Day needed a re-birth at it’s birthday, so H2OO celebrated #rebEARTHday.
ART IN ACTION
H2OO youth leaders have raised awareness through art-in-action initiatives. Youth are encouraged to amplify their voices through creative expression using any medium.
Visual Art
Sewing, reconstructed wearable art, plastic pollution masterpieces, logo and design concepts, stitching, and more
Performance Art
Spoken word, storytelling, dance, music writing, skits
Film Making
Documentary-style film creation to amplify stories and raise awareness
Poetry
Writing, speaking and performing
H2OO HAIR POTIONS
H2OO Hair Potions youth-led initiative created a social entrepreneurial experience. A team of four youth gained the experience of learning what it takes to create a sustainable product line and bring that product to market. Throughout the year each learned how to use basic laboratory equipment, utilize the scientific method to qualify and test their products and identify a test market.
WATCH VIDEO
PARTNERS // COLLABORATORS // SUPPORTERS
COMMITTED TO CREATING A MORE JUST AND EMPATHETIC FUTURE
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It is imperative that all youth are provided opportunities to learn about real-world challenges, that they all have an opportunity to share concerns, experiences, and perspectives, that they all develop essential skills to manage what they are inheriting, and that they all have an opportunity to connect with youth of diverse backgrounds to process solutions and mobilize as a global community of future empathetic leaders.
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