Student Climate Activists Speak Up About What To Fear, What To Be Thankful For

This Thanksgiving season, Wilbur Cross sophomore Manxi Han is thankful to have a home that is not routinely submerged in several feet of water as sea levels rise, for access to food despite climate change-related disasters destroying farm lands, for healthy and clean air year-round, for minimal heat waves as the earth’s temperature rises, and for biodiversity as rates of extinction increase. 

Han and several other members of the New Haven Climate Movement spoke up about their environmental gratitude and concerns as they testified yet again at the Board of Education’s latest bimonthly hybrid meeting on Monday, Nov. 13 to remind district leaders to hold true to their approval of the Climate Emergency Resolution. That resolution promises to prioritize climate education in school curriculums and reduce the school district’s carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. 

With the holiday season approaching, the climate movement members took the time to reflect on things they are grateful for that may not be around a decade or two from now. 

Han listed off those ​“five things that we are putting in jeopardy for future generations by our inaction and lack of urgency in a climate emergency” while urging the board to stay true to the resolution’s order to fully fund climate action and sustainability projects through the hiring of full-time climate and energy coordinators to oversee sustainability and education efforts. 

Han emphasized that sea levels in New Haven are projected to rise an estimated 20 inches by 2050, which will lead to increased flooding around the city.

“In the future, how will the school system provide support to students and families whose lives and livelihoods are destroyed by floods?” Han asked. 

By 2100, Han said climate change disasters will render 8 percent of farm land unsuitable for growing crops. This will occur during a time when the human population is expected to reach 11.2 billion, they added. 

“How will the school system provide free meals to students as food insecurity widens its grasp around the world, and our country, and our city?” Han asked. 

Han pointed out that this year, the city got a small glimpse of how smoke from Canadian wild fires can pose health risks to vulnerable groups and disrupt daily activities in the future as climate change disasters continue. ​“How will the school system provide resources to protect its students from the adverse health effects of constantly breathing in fine particulate matter?” Han asked. 

As the release of greenhouse gases continues and causes the planet to warm, the future could mean the normalization of heat waves. ​“Going forward, will the school system need to incorporate early dismissals due to scorching temperatures into its calendar?” Han asked. 

With increased rates of extinction and habitat loss in recent decades, Han questioned again, ​“In the future what will children think when they learn about biodiversity, the building blocks of life, photosynthesis, while at the same time witnessing first hand the collapse of entire species and ecosystems?”

The climate movement students urged the Board to allocate $300,000 to implement climate solutions because ​“the cost of climate catastrophe are far greater.” 

The students are requesting that the Board hire three new staff: A coordinator for climate education to ensure youth have the knowledge needed in climate crises, a staffer to oversee food services and transportation projects to save money on waste pick-up costs, and an energy coordinator to replace inefficient energy systems in schools to reduce emissions and provide longterm savings by reducing the cost of data systems.

Climate members Adrian Huq and Young In Kim also testified to remind the Board that the time to act is now. 

Retired Cross English educator of 26 years Barbara Sasso also testified Monday alongside the students. Sasso retired last school year and has since become the ​“compost lady” with her former students to continue to help them develop and pilot a composting program at Cross. Click here to read more about Cross’ compost pilot last year. 

She said the team’s goal is to create a pilot program that can be implemented at all schools around the district, which will ultimately save the school system money while helping the environment. 

“If you compost waste instead of burying it in a landfill, you reduce carbon gases and you’re not hauling away tons of waste from each school each month,” Sasso said. 

The Cross Environmental club has gathered over 100 pounds of food waste a day in the school’s cafeteria and has began diverting excess food to a share table toward the end of last school year. 

Since then, the share table has become a very popular place for ​“when kids are still hungry or they still want apples or they still want snacks, but they don’t want to look like they’re taking it from their friends,” Sasso said. 

Last year, Cross received a grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund to coordinate compost pick-ups from Peels and Wheels. This year, those funds are still being used to coordinate pick-ups twice per week from Peels and Wheels. Students hope to increase the pick-ups to allow them to collect compost from the cafeteria daily.

“I’m doing this because I’m retired. Why couldn’t I do this when I was teaching? Because when you’re teaching, that’s a full-time job and a half, and if you have kids, it’s like five jobs,” Sasso said. ​“We really need to fund me. Not me now, but me for the future. Somebody who could be there to instruct students, and believe me, kids are asking about composting and they’re interested in it. Most of the kids in the school system don’t want to waste food,” Sasso said. 

Sasso concluded that the district’s students want to put food to better use, but the schools need funding for a coordinator in order to launch a program fully. 

Seventeen year old Cross senior Rosie Hampson, who is also a member of the climate movement, reflected on being between two popular holidays — ​“one to celebrate the scary, and the other to give thanks for the good.” 

When thinking of the scary, Hampson said that it’s not just holiday ghost and ghouls that come to mind but added that ​“as a young person, thinking about climate change is terrifying.” 

The real-life scary includes children displaced from floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes, Hampson said, or families losing homes and being forced to leave behind loved ones, or 45 million children suffering from starvation. 

However, despite the frightful things happening across the world, Hampson said she is thankful for clean drinking water, food to eat, access to health care, education and opportunities, and the ability to live without fear of losing her home or family members to unprecedented disaster. 

“We understand that hiring new staff to oversee these projects requires an initial investment, but as described, doing so will save money for us in the long term,” Hampson said. 

The sooner action is taken, the less harm that will be inflicted on low-income communities and children in New Haven. 

They suggested the district can use its remaining $43 million of ESSER funds or allocate 0.07 percent of its 2023 – 24 school year budget of $400 million to address the current climate crisis. 

In support of the students’ theme of gratitude during Monday’s meeting, Teacher Union president Leslie Blatteau expressed her gratitude for the New Haven Climate Movement activists on behalf of all educators. 

“You are examples to us about how to organize, how to show up, commit to a clear task that’s going to benefit everyone,” Blatteau said.