How Can I Be Inconvenient?

In the next 12 years, we must make drastic changes to what we are doing on this planet. At the end of that 12 year span, if we do not cut the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted into the air, we are looking at reaching that imminent 1.5 degree C increase in atmospheric temperature and there will be no turning back. The tragedies around natural disasters and extremes in weather will become more drastic with no relief in sight. Now, more than ever, we carry the responsibility as a global citizen of our planet Earth to model and teach our youth what this means. Ten years ago, Al Gore released his film An Inconvenient Truth and today, we have the opportunity to experience the sequel, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. In the original film, there are models of the natural disasters we are seeing today and in the sequel, there are updates on data, shifts in the movement, and even a glimmer of hope.

These films can be used in any classroom to meet any subject standard. Ultimately, standards won’t really matter if our home is no longer inhabitable. A great way to introduce this heavy topic is to show the films and create a project focused on answering the question “How can I be inconvenient?” A few years ago, many celebrities created a YouTube video answering this very question ( watch here). These celebrities focused specifically on why it was important to be inconvenient. Today, I make sure to do this in all of my classes once a year. It can be in different media such as video, poster, or presentation. It can be a school-wide movement. It can lead to shifts that actually occur at the school due to the discussion and input from all the students and personnel on campus. The answers can range from riding my bike to not eating meat. It can even be a way to see how the word inconvenience can take on an entirely different meaning. The possibilities are endless and the impact is life-changing (literally).

So, I ask you...How can you be inconvenient? #BeInconvenient