Stockholm: Greta Thunberg

We have learned a lot about Greta Thunberg during our time here in Stockholm. I knew quite a bit about Greta already. But, on our walking tour of Stockholm I learned from Chip and my professors that she is a young deeply concerned climate activist. I learned she is diagnosed with Asperger’s and other neurological things. She is just a year older than I am (21) and has raised a voice for global awareness in the climate crisis. She really pushed this on her family. Her mom even gave up singing opera for Greta, because she had to travel a lot and this is bad for the environment. Greta has worked hard to hold governments accountable to their environmental commitments. She started this very young. She would skip school and protest outside of the Swedish parliament, trying to make the Swedish government make changes that would help the environment and slow climate change. These days that she would individually skip school quickly lead to students all around the world skipping school and protesting in front of their local government agencies for better environmental awareness. I find this very brave of her as she is a young girl who many would not take seriously.

 

Greta Thunberg has 14 million followers on Instagram. Her young age has made her accessible by my generation in ways that the older generations don’t have the capabilities to connect with. I can remember being in high school and having my peers encouraging me and my classmates to skip school on a Friday in protest of climate change just like Greta. The fact that this young girl could reach a high school kid like me, all the way over in Columbus, Ohio is an example of the power she holds. She has spoken in front of the UN, with countless world leaders and has led protests all over the globe.

 

In my opinion, Greta Thunberg is commemorated well, but there is room for improvement and deeper recognition of her impact. She has received a lot of global attention and many awards, including being named Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2019. Her activism has also inspired environmental movements and educational initiatives that have increased awareness. Unlike most of the women we have learned about, Greta Thunberg is not only still living, she is also still very young. I predict she will be commemorated in many more ways in the future.