Dr Louise Karch
Nearly nine out of 10 children in Australia suffer from moderate to acute eco-anxiety negatively affecting their daily life, according to recent research by independent medical journal The Lancet.
The study asked 10,000 children worldwide, including from Australia, how they felt about climate change and what they could do to counter the effects of global warming.
“The feedback from the research was shocking, with the overwhelming majority feeling sad and anxious, but most notably fearful over what they believe is a bleak future ahead,” local best-selling author and educator Louise Karch said.
“In a time where we are subjected to daily news stories of once-in-a-generation style environmental disasters, it’s not hard to understand why kids believe that we’re too far gone to stem the carnage already caused.”
Karch said this is what drove her and local wellbeing expert Dr Liz Cyarto to team up with New York Times best-selling author Seth Godin, along with 300 other volunteers from 41 countries, to create a fact-based resource for adults and eco-anxious kids with actionable solutions for restoring the planet.
Already a worldwide bestseller The Carbon Almanac: It’s Not Too Late explores the impact of carbon on our environment, agriculture, the economy and health, using illustrations, cartoons, quotes, and articles to break down what climate change is so people can talk and lead.
“We can’t solve a problem if we can’t talk about it. We needed a factual resource to allay people’s fears that all is not lost. We’ve also created a free children’s almanac called Generation Carbon, available in 20 languages, an educator’s guide, lessons plans on Seesaw, and a podcast made by and for kids.”
“We did this so educators could incorporate climate education into their curriculum in a way that doesn’t alarm students. We wanted to empower kids so instead of feeling hopeless, they feel inspired to play a role in the planet’s recovery,” Karch said.
“Australia was well represented in the core team of volunteers worldwide that built the Almanac. The ravages of a changing climate increased the urgency we all brought to the project, and giving parents, teachers, students and citizens a way to understand the climate is already beginning to pay off,” said Seth Godin, one of the editors of the book.
Dr Louise Karch is a Global Carbon Almanac leader who lives in Newport
Louise Karch and Dr Liz Cyarto are hosting an upbeat presentation on climate hope at the Willy Lit Fest Sunday June 18 at 10 am at the town hall.
https://www.willylitfest.org.au/session/its-not-too-late/
Carbon Almanac Website: https://thecarbonalmanac.org/
Link to Generation Carbon free Kids book in 20 languages and in Dyslexie for those with reading challenges: https://thecarbonalmanac.org/kids/
