It's Time for the youth

By: Greg Boyle

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique... You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open... There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others.

I agree with many leaders that the world needs to recognize that there is only one superpower on earth, I just don't agree with who they think that is. I believe that this power is the collective will of the youth. We have yet to have our “awakening” where this will is narrowed to a point. The youth movement is strong, and the potential of this very force can be seen when there are more youth votes in American idol than all youth votes in North American elections. Try and imagine if we all honed our collective will towards one common cause. Solving climate change is one such cause that the future generations of not only humans, but of the whole planet are depending on us to undertake. It is the single most dangerous and threatening issue facing humanity in its entirety. We are tied into and ultimately leaders of the movement of movements. We have and will have to stand up to intense media biases and social assumptions, yet we have been successful and must be successful in the future; more so than any other movement before us. There is no one single answer for this dilemma, its solution will be born out of thousands of successes in thousands of fields.

There are numerous outlets for us a youth to channel our knowledge and desire for change. Through the Sierra Youth Coalition (SYC), Canadians under 26 can network and channel their desires for environmental and social change. The SYC is also part of and founding members of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition (CYCC) and Energy Action. These are both coalitions of very powerful youth groups all focused on the same common goal... a green and healthy future for all. We must ally ourselves as Sierra Youth with the hundreds of other organizations striving for a sustainable future. We must take into consideration that in order to achieve sustainability, we must champion our social issues as well, allowing everyone to work together equally towards a common future.

This election is another method/outlet for youth to express ourselves and to shine our will onto the floor of the House of Commons. We NEED to put the environment first, for above all things stand this issue. The economy depends on it now more than ever with the need for a new green economy. Health care is stressed both due to a poor environment and a re-direction of funding to industry subsidies, corporate tax cuts and to fund an illegal war for oil. A shift away from an oil based economy to an environment and people based economy will lead us out of Afghanistan, and into a new, green world order. One guided and kept in check by youth.