Climate action attorney Cheyenne Hunt talks with Green Builder Media's Sara Gutterman about why climate is central to the Gen Z experience, and how eco-anxiety, social media activism, and purchasing power are turning that generation's dread into political and market action.
00:00:04:20 - 00:00:39:09
Sara Gutterman: Cheyenne Hunt works on the hill with members of Congress to draft research and enforce climate policy. She corroborates that Gen Z are indeed feeling climate dread as a result of climate urgency. She and her colleagues feel a sense of real, tangible fear and disappointment, and also a deep sense of responsibility with respect to the climate. She's part of the first generation that knows that they will see life altering effects from climate change, and so she and her peers are taking this issue personally.
00:00:39:12 - 00:01:09:26
Sara Gutterman: Hunt, a climate action attorney, confirms that while members of her generation are making decisions about lifestyle choices and jobs that will reduce their environmental footprint, they also know that the vast majority of change does need to come from altering business models and policy. They have low levels of trust, and while they are skeptical and angry, they're also super hopeful that we can make a just transition to a sustainable, equitable future.
00:01:09:29 - 00:01:30:15
Sara Gutterman: Hunt and her colleagues are rising up to take their place in the holes of power, working on legislation, drafting bills and seizing corporate leadership roles so that they can affect real change. How does Cheyenne want to suggest that we make the transition? Well, let's find out. Cheyenne, please take it away.
00:01:30:17 - 00:02:07:11
Cheyenne Hunt: Well, awesome. I'm so excited to be here. Sustainability is one of my favorite things to talk about when I have the opportunity, because it's so central to the Gen Z experience. And as somebody who is, you know, by, by default, based on age, a Gen Z activist, this is really an issue that is so inextricably intertwined with every other piece of policy action that we are going to work on and touch that you you can't move anything forward or have an accurate conversation about any issue without at least thinking about environmental sustainability.
00:02:07:11 - 00:02:31:17
Cheyenne Hunt: So that's, I think, a big part of why Gen Z is in a position now where we're in a great prioritization of where our attention is going to be, obviously, where our priorities are and how we're going to approach life as we know it. Not just policy advocacy, but every decision in our lives based off of the very real environmental threats that we were born into.
00:02:31:18 - 00:03:06:04
Cheyenne Hunt: So how are we going to turn talk into action? I want to start by telling you a little bit about myself. So this is me and probably the fourth grade. And I was, I think, around this age when I first really heard the term global warming. This was before we rebranded the climate change. And I think this was in the.
00:03:06:06 - 00:03:38:27
Cheyenne Hunt: Al Gore days of, you know, the the first initial kind of big public outreach in the way that he was able to really lead the charge on, on global warming. So I was horrified and could not comprehend why. This was the first time I was hearing that humanity was on the edge of a cliff, and that our environment was being so, so disrespected that in the near term, our way of life would be unsustainable.
00:03:38:28 - 00:04:02:16
Cheyenne Hunt: So I went to my school board and this photo was taken at my school when I was, I'm guessing probably maybe ten years old. And I went to my principal first and I said, why have we not heard about this? And she was just, you know, really dismissive. And I grew up in a really small kind of conservative town.
00:04:02:16 - 00:04:10:14
Cheyenne Hunt: So that's key context. And she was really dismissive, really.
00:04:10:16 - 00:04:37:27
Cheyenne Hunt: Just generally kind of like, well, you know, it's not something that parents feel comfortable talking about. It's not age appropriate. And I went to a school board meeting and I said, how can it not be age appropriate? It's just science. It's just the facts. Like, I don't I genuinely could not wrap my my mind around the fact that we were not talking about a threat that was looming this large, and I got the same kind of answer.
00:04:37:27 - 00:05:02:08
Cheyenne Hunt: Well, you know, there's not parents feel strange. There is a lot of tension and oh, I don't know. And we could get into hot water. And I told my mom, I feel like this is really, really wrong. And my mom, who, you know, bless her heart, single mother, raised me with her single mother. The two of them looked at me and said, I mean, you know, you got to do what?
00:05:02:10 - 00:05:32:27
Cheyenne Hunt: What works with your convictions and where you got to stand, where you stand. And I said, I want to protest. And she laughed. But then she looked at me really earnestly and said, are you going to be okay if you're the only person standing out there? And I said, yeah, this is what I believe in. And so this was my first protest ever, and it was a solo protest against my school for refusing to talk about global warming, because I couldn't comprehend how we could make excuses for this to not be a priority.
00:05:32:27 - 00:06:03:17
Cheyenne Hunt: And I tell this story because I think that every Gen Z person, for the most part, has had a moment where the first time we hear about the climate disaster that we are facing, there is a level of absolute shock at the fact that this is not being taken more seriously, followed by deep dismay and misunderstood, total inability to comprehend why it's gotten to this point.
00:06:03:17 - 00:06:35:14
Cheyenne Hunt: And yet, the adults, those that have come before us, had not taken up the charge and really taken action responsibly to safeguard a planet in an environment that would be usable for the generations to follow. I think a lot about the Native American tradition of preserving the planet for seven generations down the line, preserving the environment, preserving their way of life, they think in seven generations.
00:06:35:18 - 00:07:06:26
Cheyenne Hunt: And I think to be so young and to realize that even just your generation, your one generation ahead was an afterthought to other priorities is a really good way to to frame how Gen Z comes to this moment in climate activism, because it's from that place that there is rage, there is motivation and drive, there is climate dismay.
00:07:06:29 - 00:07:36:16
Cheyenne Hunt: And from that place now, that is the context from which we act, and we act quickly. So where does Gen Z manifest action? While many forms of political engagement, such as voting, tend to be higher among older adults, Gen Zers and 28% of millennials have taken at least four actions, all to help address climate change in the last year, including either donating money, contacting an elected official, volunteering or attending a rally.
00:07:36:16 - 00:08:00:14
Cheyenne Hunt: And this is a pretty unprecedented amount of political action from younger generations towards a cause so unprecedented, in fact, that the last time we saw action among this large of a cohort of young people, it goes all the way back to resistance to the Vietnam War. Younger people in general also are just more open to than adults to solutions.
00:08:00:14 - 00:08:21:05
Cheyenne Hunt: And I think, again, this comes from a place of feeling as though solutions that were deemed off the table for other motivations, other motivations, whether that's, you know, corporate motivations or economic motivations have to fall second to the longevity of the environment.
00:08:21:07 - 00:08:47:12
Cheyenne Hunt: As a result, Gen Z, we've already found our motivation. And so it's up to our leaders to cultivate it and actually guide it towards action. We've been raised with values of sustainable consumption for the most part, and we're still learning how to wrap our heads around what exactly that looks like on a consumer scale. Then there's a whole other question of what does that look like on a corporate scale?
00:08:47:15 - 00:09:18:15
Cheyenne Hunt: And corporations continue to take advantage of every effort made by the public to reduce our waste. As more Gen Z voters begin to take political action. Each new year offers an opportunity for change, and we are sick and tired of our leaders gridlocked on the same issues. And I think that's why we see Gen Z and millennials being more active than older generations on and off line, meaning not only in talk but also in action.
00:09:18:20 - 00:09:41:14
Cheyenne Hunt: We're seeing it on social media, but we're also seeing it in as an influencer, in big influence, in the way that young people make decisions about every aspect of their lives, because we're well aware that this has gotten to a point where we will live with the impacts of climate change in our lifetime.
00:09:41:17 - 00:10:09:29
Cheyenne Hunt: So as Gen Z faces down the impending, quote unquote, doom of climate disaster, and we are in a broader political atmosphere where most of our generation is unlikely to inherit significant land, wealth or economic opportunity. We are forced to create our own way while making personal sacrifices for the good of all. And when I talk about personal sacrifices, I'm not just talking about recycling or switching to a low flow toilet.
00:10:10:05 - 00:10:42:04
Cheyenne Hunt: Gen Z is in a situation where, you know, if you ask a good majority of of Gen Z folks whether or not they are comfortable with the idea of having children, there is a real presence of fear related to bringing a child into the world, knowing that the environment may not be sustainable for generations moving forward. We're talking about that kind of interpersonal sacrifice that Gen Z is having to think about.
00:10:42:05 - 00:11:09:23
Cheyenne Hunt: And then there's also, you know, the reality of the fact that even if we were to make such a decision, you know, that because so little has been done to prevent the, the, the cliff that we may or may not be about to fall off of, of climate disaster, that your personal decision to bring a child into the world is it has a carbon a real carbon footprint impact.
00:11:09:25 - 00:11:40:07
Cheyenne Hunt: And so it's not just about the fate of that child. It's about now about child has an impact on the world. And these are the kinds of things that we're thinking about and wondering whether or not it's a responsible choice. And so that's when, you know, climate doom actually manifests into real, discernible impacts on Gen Z lives. A study of US business students found that 51% of us would take a lower salary if a company was environmentally responsible.
00:11:40:07 - 00:12:06:09
Cheyenne Hunt: That's a whole other level of sacrifice, right? I mean, I know from my experience working in policy that boiling gas or having to get really creative with trying to figure out how they're enticing younger, high skilled workers into the field because there is a general distaste from Gen Z and millennials for working for companies that are environmentally irresponsible.
00:12:06:11 - 00:12:54:03
Cheyenne Hunt: This is significant. It's especially in the economic reality that we live in, that there's enough conviction among young people to turn away high paying jobs because of that environmental impact. Then, despite having next to zero global impact on climate change, we suffer the going the growing consequences of global warming while being rendered politically and inert. Nevertheless, we have found our way to speak through these barriers, and we've acted in unprecedented force, whether it's through donating to campaigns, working for ethical companies and supporting our local activists, attending rallies, protesting, boycotting and showing up to vote.
00:12:54:05 - 00:13:27:20
Cheyenne Hunt: Contrary to popular belief, climate change does not care about political partizanship it crosses all lines and it will continue to devastate people across the world. Our route forward as young activists is continuing to recognize that this is a climate crisis and not a political discussion. It will not wait for us to reach consensus. Endless debate over what specific actions can be taken is enabling those responsible to continue to escape accountability.
00:13:27:22 - 00:13:50:21
Cheyenne Hunt: 49% of Gen Zs and 48% of millennial Republicans, including Republican leaders, say action need is needed to reduce the effects of climate change. That means that we're actually starting to see an understanding of this issue, starting to cross party lines among young people, as the numbers don't reflect this understanding in older generations. But they're starting to now in younger folks.
00:13:50:21 - 00:14:19:22
Cheyenne Hunt: And this is a place where as much as, you know, it's it can be really demoralizing to talk about these topics as a young person. You see here a glimpse of hope, a glimmer of hope. As someone who works in the political system, I can tell you that bipartisan understanding of issues is increasingly rare. And to be able to see now that there is starting to be, at least on some level, and understanding from younger generations on both sides of the aisle.
00:14:19:25 - 00:14:28:06
Cheyenne Hunt: This needs to be a priority. This is a very real, tangible sign of hope.
00:14:28:08 - 00:14:52:08
Cheyenne Hunt: How much we change will depend on how far we're willing to go. This is a battle with many fronts. From the cars we drive, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the people we elect. And we have to remember that despite looming catastrophe, we are fighting against immense wealth and political power. It's going to take all of us to collect our action and demand accountability.
00:14:52:10 - 00:15:32:06
Cheyenne Hunt: While Gen Z needs to continue to recognize our own individual impacts on climate change. We have to be willing to speak truth to power, to force corporations and politicians to be accountable for their votes and their actions. This is a step forward that may be uncomfortable because it requires shaking up a comfortable global norm. But the reality is, while corporations and politicians who benefit from their contributions would like us to turn our attention on each other and inward, when it comes to the responsibility of averting climate crisis, we know that this has to be done on a holistic level.
00:15:32:09 - 00:16:03:28
Cheyenne Hunt: The responsibility lies not only with individual consumers, but also with corporations and in industries that are responsible for the vast majority of pollution in this country and globally. And I think Gen Z is really starting to read through the intentional messaging there. I think a lot of us grew up with the messaging of, well, when it comes to climate change, reduce, reuse, recycle.
00:16:04:01 - 00:16:39:00
Cheyenne Hunt: When it comes to climate change, you know, be aware of, you know, not using too many Ziploc bags. Think about your carbon footprint, your personal impact. And I think finally, there is an understanding that while there absolutely is personal responsibility of each and every one of us to be mindful of the resources that we use and the way that we impact the world around us, there is a reason why that's the messaging, and it's diverting attention away from the biggest offenders who want to continue their cycles of power, their ways of business without disruption.
00:16:39:00 - 00:17:01:11
Cheyenne Hunt: And Gen Z is finally in a place where I think we're starting to understand that we have to do both. We can make personal sacrifices in our lifestyle, and also call out those with the most responsibility, and continue to show up to call out the ways that they are not holding up their end of the bargain.
00:17:01:13 - 00:17:41:18
Cheyenne Hunt: Again, young workers have higher eco anxiety and it's affecting where we can and will work. We're not going to be entirely enticed simply by the idea of higher pay when it comes to working in industries that pollute or have negative impacts on climate, we are much more likely to find ourselves attracted to organizations that share our values on climate change and generally share our cultural values, because this is a situation where, like I said, it's really difficult for a lot of us to live in a space of denial.
00:17:41:20 - 00:17:57:08
Cheyenne Hunt: There's a sense of betrayal that comes with the denial that clearly followed in the generations prior. And I think that there's a universal rejection among young people of walking down that same path.
00:17:57:10 - 00:18:29:08
Cheyenne Hunt: So here is a particularly interesting Gen Z and and millennial issue when it comes to climate change. And that is the effect of social media. We tend to cultivate our advocacy and our activism in tons of different ways, but a new way that's also become the most popular is through social media activism. We've grown up knowing both how these platforms are intertwined with every aspect of our lives or communication.
00:18:29:08 - 00:19:07:02
Cheyenne Hunt: Our businesses are our family connection, and also we've grown up knowing that our resources on this planet are rapidly dwindling, and communities across the globe are faced with pending ecological disaster. And those two things that that knowingness leads us to want to talk about this and want to advocate for change on these social media platforms. Policy advocates on social media are often labeled influencers, and this is a label that is often applied to me as somebody who speaks on advocacy issues and on the environment regularly on social media.
00:19:07:05 - 00:19:37:25
Cheyenne Hunt: And however, this label of influencer is often used to cheapen and patronize our message by the same generations that have destroyed the Earth. And so it's important that there is an understanding that social media activism has a place it and that we have to have voices of truth and fact on social media, because a void leaves room for the opposite.
00:19:37:27 - 00:19:58:24
Cheyenne Hunt: Climate disinformation on social media is a very real problem, and this is something that Gen Z is keenly aware of because, you know, we've seen friends and family peers fall victim to it. But I also think that we've seen older generations fall victim to it. The lack of understanding that just because something's online doesn't mean that it's true.
00:19:58:24 - 00:20:37:20
Cheyenne Hunt: Or somebody posted something that, you know, but what they someone you know, has has reposted something and you don't necessarily know how to do the fact check. It's it's routinely spread. It's able the vehicle particularly on Facebook to spread climate misinformation is a real challenge, particularly because in my work as a platform accountability advocate, we've seen that when it comes to miss and disinformation, Facebook in particular is very inactive.
00:20:37:20 - 00:20:58:18
Cheyenne Hunt: On regulating climate misinformation. They're more active in other areas of miss and disinfo. But when it comes to climate, they're the most likely to leave something up, even if it is entirely based in falsehood, and that that's a real problem that we're up against when it comes to organizing on this issue.
00:20:58:21 - 00:21:25:17
Cheyenne Hunt: So it's important that we find allies in this fight. It's going to be a long one. This is a fight of our generation, and we have to use the platforms where people are to effectively advocate for change. Over 90% of us are on social media. This way, we're able to find our voices in our communities and then share our work with allies to create institutional change.
00:21:25:17 - 00:21:59:22
Cheyenne Hunt: Starting at the grassroots level. Online thrift stores are a great example of a way where Gen Z has been able to inject excitement into sustainability. ThredUp is a great example of an alternative to fast fashion that Gen Z has absolutely supported and amplified and turned into a thriving business model because they have their internal resources that also promote and teach about sustainability in the environment.
00:21:59:25 - 00:22:38:07
Cheyenne Hunt: The other issue with this, too, in general, is that media literacy is a skill that is highly lacking. And so we have to make sure that we are in a situation where we are conversing, in fact, and it can be difficult. I think we've all had an experience where you're you're in a discussion with somebody either about climate or another kind of politically heated topic, and their opinion is clearly based on straight misinformation, and it's difficult to inject facts into that narrative because they're coming from a place that is not based in reality.
00:22:38:07 - 00:23:19:10
Cheyenne Hunt: And so it takes time. And that's why it's important that people use social media to routinely inject facts into the debate, to routinely inject the opinions of experts into this space, because it's highly likely that folks on social media are in their own echo chambers, where the the information that they're getting is curated either algorithmically or by their design intentionally, with who they follow and their friends to only confirm the the conceptions that they already believe about political issues or the environment in general.
00:23:19:15 - 00:23:41:17
Cheyenne Hunt: And so the more that we are able to essentially fight fire with fire and fight misinformation with fact and fill social media with fact based information and show your work, show your proof. You know, I this is something that I say to a lot of people who make content online like I do. You can make claims all day long.
00:23:41:17 - 00:24:11:28
Cheyenne Hunt: What differentiates good fact based information from this and disinfo, and where we have the opportunity to change hearts and minds is by showing our work show the studies, show the metadata of how they got there, and you don't have to do it in a way that is boring. You know, on on my personal TikTok page, I will generally post videos where I have studies behind me as a green screen, and I can point to the data and walk people through it in English in a way that they can understand.
00:24:12:03 - 00:24:36:03
Cheyenne Hunt: You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that pollution is skyrocketing, to understand that our access to resources is becoming increasingly more limited. And so this is something that I encourage most people to do. And I think Gen Z is really starting to figure out. And the the way that we have been able to organize on social media and inform folks as a result has been profound.
00:24:36:04 - 00:25:04:20
Cheyenne Hunt: The Gen Z reaction to the Biden administration's approval of the Willow project was explosive. Because of our social media activism, the way that we were able to very quickly explain and inform people on what exactly was going on, why this was problematic, how it undermined the administration's stated climate goals. And while it can be really disheartening to see things like this happen, it's also a place where, again, hope can be found.
00:25:04:20 - 00:25:29:09
Cheyenne Hunt: And I keep pointing that out because, like I said, climate despair and depression is rampant in my generation as well. And so where we can find hope, I like to inject it. But it's true. You know, when we see something like Willow Project get slammed through. Biden administration has really so far stated broad climate goals. It's that can be disheartening.
00:25:29:09 - 00:25:47:01
Cheyenne Hunt: But where I find hope is the fact that, you know, these are also the kind of things that used to happen and go through with little fanfare. And it kind of was something that could be signed and pushed through across the desk. And, you know, maybe, maybe 1 or 2 news outlets picked it up, but it was par for course.
00:25:47:02 - 00:26:14:17
Cheyenne Hunt: Not anymore. Gen Z is clear that we stand where we stand and we will call out, no matter. Call you out, no matter who you are, what policy you are, whether I voted for you or not, if you are backtracking on stated climate goals and are the future of the planet, we will call you out and we'll do it articulately, based in fact, and also hold you accountable to to your own policy goals.
00:26:14:17 - 00:26:40:23
Cheyenne Hunt: And so in that sense, you know, there is hope. And I think that it really does influence the behavior of elected officials at the end of the day, when they feel the fire, when they feel constituents and, and the the ability of Gen Z to organize not just from talk, but into action and into movements that really does influence behavior.
00:26:40:23 - 00:26:52:06
Cheyenne Hunt: And so I think we're really just starting to see the impact that we're going to have in this fight long term.
00:26:52:09 - 00:27:19:13
Cheyenne Hunt: Look, born from this climate reality and driven by apprehension of a potentially dim future, we are really motivated by hope because it's necessary. We've proven to the denial of others that we are willing to take action and fight against climate change and those who cause it. We have more digital competency and information literacy, but also information access than any generation before.
00:27:19:13 - 00:27:42:05
Cheyenne Hunt: And that's an incredible gift of the internet. If you want an answer to something, you can find it. There is no excuse for being misinformed, and we are acutely aware of the state of the world and empathetic to the global destruction. That, and we've been forced to bear witness. That's another really key part of the social media revolution.
00:27:42:07 - 00:28:18:12
Cheyenne Hunt: We are seeing in real time the effects of unmitigated climate change. Every time my home state of California breaks out in a wildfire that burns homes and forces evacuations of vulnerable populations, we're seeing that we're seeing those real effects on social media, and these are the kinds of images that really motivate real change when we understand empathetically what other people are going through as a result of the inaction, despite the best efforts of corporations and politicians, we can't just export these effects.
00:28:18:12 - 00:28:45:19
Cheyenne Hunt: It's happening abroad, but also at home. And there's nothing that we can do other than address the root cause of the problem that will insulate our reality from these impacts all around the world. It is the people who are the most vulnerable that are paying these prices. And Gen Z takes the world that we have been given, and we are working actively to make it better.
00:28:45:20 - 00:29:04:29
Cheyenne Hunt: We're not going to sit in despair. We may, you know, every now and then, you know, self-care is important. You have to notice that that may be how you're feeling. But we won't. We will not stay there. We will cease hope where we can find it, and look for innovative ways to create the future that we all deserve.
00:29:05:01 - 00:29:40:20
Cheyenne Hunt: But we have to talk about the despair. We have to acknowledge it because it's real. More than 50% of 16 to 25 year olds believe that humanity is literally doomed. Close to 40% said that their fears about the future have made them reluctant to have children of their own. This is scary when we think about what young people are supposed to be thinking about at this stage of their lives the optimism, the dreams, the ambition, the reality of unmitigated climate change is actively up against it.
00:29:40:23 - 00:30:08:09
Cheyenne Hunt: And so we have to take that energy and fuel it into manifesting real change. There is an anger over the injustice that fuels our collective consciousness about sustainability, and I want to say more about that, because I think that that's also a really key piece that is often overlooked. Before we get there, though, this is another thing I think Gen Z is really keenly aware of.
00:30:08:09 - 00:30:45:04
Cheyenne Hunt: And that is, oh, wait, let me go back. Comparing responsibility. These slides here show 24 companies that have pledged to reach net zero emissions within a certain period of time. Generally, target years range from 2030 to 2050. Why are they making these pledges now? Because the pressure of younger generations generally and consumers broadly, for unsustainable industries to show up differently is immense.
00:30:45:11 - 00:31:16:24
Cheyenne Hunt: But in reality, we need to be aware of the fact that while they may be making these pledges, 17 of these 24 companies are so significantly behind on their commitments that they are unlikely to ever reach their stated goal. These are companies that have a disproportionate influence on climate change globally, and when they virtue, signal and take almost no meaningful action to get these goals that they've stated, this needs to be something that is actively called out.
00:31:16:24 - 00:31:40:08
Cheyenne Hunt: And this is a place where Gen Z activism can continue to be really, really helpful. Overall, the net zero pledges of the 24 companies translate to a commitment to reduce just 36% of their global combined emissions footprints by their respective net zero target years. So when it comes to these corporate pledges, this is a place where we can all plug in.
00:31:40:08 - 00:32:13:02
Cheyenne Hunt: And as much as it can be difficult to track, it's incredibly important because the companies benefit simply by making the pledges. They get the press, they get the pats on the back, they get the government contracts right. But at the end of the day, where's the accountability? And this is where Gen Z, I think in particular, can continue to really plug in and hold companies accountable to their stated goals.
00:32:13:04 - 00:32:46:10
Cheyenne Hunt: Gen Z, more than any other generation, is willing to push the government to do better and really be activists in this space, and young people generally always are there, more willing to push the government in ambitious ways to think out of the box and to push ambitious action quickly? But this is different. We're staring at something that is an existential threat to humanity globally.
00:32:46:13 - 00:33:15:04
Cheyenne Hunt: This is a situation where this is energy that is really important to harness. And this is true of regardless of what generation you are, there is a Jensen millennial energy in this space that is incredibly powerful, and it's a mistake not to acknowledge and harness what's there in whatever field of activism or business change that you are making.
00:33:15:04 - 00:33:37:12
Cheyenne Hunt: I encourage you to reach out to these folks and rope us into the messaging, the outreach, whatever it is, because the the energy that's here, the understanding of the crisis that's here, it's very personal, and it serves as a renewable resource to move the movement forward.
00:33:37:15 - 00:34:04:01
Cheyenne Hunt: And this is another thing with Gen Z as well. Back to kind of my points on misinformation is we we are really frustrated with the attack on fact and science. And it goes back to, you know, my first experience with what climate change really was as a young child, the idea that science was too controversial to be taught in the classroom.
00:34:04:02 - 00:34:56:12
Cheyenne Hunt: And we're seeing this now on a on a mass scale, right? Climate deniers and science skeptics are part of a trend. To disrupt the classroom and educated public is the fuel of our democracy. And if we don't support facts in our classrooms, there is a real price to pay. Climate change is not an isolated topic. It's not something that we can relate purely to Stem because it's part of a network of issues, something tied into history, something tied into the webs of our society, into our history of racial injustice, of incumbent equality, of vulnerable folks being the ones who are almost often the ones most forced to bear the prices that we pay for inaction.
00:34:56:12 - 00:35:23:19
Cheyenne Hunt: And so it's important that this is something that is integrated into our discourse at a level that extends beyond the science and also into the social science and understanding of the complex web that weaves around these issues. And this is, I think, another area where the Gen Z voice is really strong. There's an understanding that the most vulnerable folks in our society are the ones who are bearing these costs.
00:35:23:19 - 00:35:41:24
Cheyenne Hunt: And there's also, in general, just an understanding that when we allow the degradation of our education system, we are harming society as a whole in the understandings of the true issues that we face as a generation.
00:35:41:26 - 00:36:07:16
Cheyenne Hunt: Despite the unanimous consensus of the scientific community. Now for over 75 years, politicians are still debating whether there's a connection between human behavior and global warming. This is deeply disturbing to young folks, to to a point where I think many of us have really tuned it out. We are at a point where we were born with this is a part of our reality.
00:36:07:18 - 00:36:38:08
Cheyenne Hunt: We were born knowing that our days of life as we know it are likely limited. And so watching folks on the respected halls of Congress, on the on the Senate floor, on the House floor debate whether or not this is a real issue while we're living the experiences of it hurricanes, flooding, fires, power outages that take lives, it is something that needs to be understood and not debated.
00:36:38:09 - 00:37:29:05
Cheyenne Hunt: We are beyond debate. Discussion is over, and Gen Z is not waiting to debate the realities of a dying Earth that we're inheriting. We are jumping in. And this is a little bit more on just climate disinfo and generally the responsibility for young activists to push against these anti policies, because these two things are connected. If we allow our education system to be weakened by those who have agendas that are served by a, you know, a lack of climate information in the school system, then more of this climate disinformation online becomes able to fly under the radar because people don't have the information literacy to wait it out.
00:37:29:08 - 00:38:09:14
Cheyenne Hunt: So what's the alternative? We need to find alternatives to exploitative business models. And while there are many ways to track greenhouse emissions, it's important to frame the scale and scope of the largest emitters and nowhere our problems truly rest. This is something where I think we continue to struggle with with on a generational level, is actually getting a grip on the full pictures of emissions from land use, land use changes, or forestry from sources such as landfills, agriculture, agriculture, factory farming and how all of that contributes to climate change over time.
00:38:09:16 - 00:38:59:09
Cheyenne Hunt: However, we're also more likely to search for alternative businesses and good services, and are far more likely to join communal resource sharing services and groups. Because we're in a situation where we understand the scope of the problem and we're actively searching for solutions. But whether you're a business or a social movement, one place where Gen Z is certainly and millennials are open to, you know, growth or a big benefit for you is whether you're selling a product, whether you're offering a service, whether you're trying to motivate them into action, explaining why what you are offering has the potential to connecting directly to a sustainability problem is something that very much motivates action.
00:38:59:09 - 00:39:25:26
Cheyenne Hunt: So, and like I said, we're much more willing to make sacrifices, whether that be financial or lifestyle. And so if you're able to explain, you know, this product or service has X impact on lowering your carbon footprint or does not benefit industries that have this massive impact on global climate change, you're likely to motivate real action there.
00:39:25:28 - 00:39:52:02
Cheyenne Hunt: And again, like I said, while we understand that there's this need for our individual action where we are looking to see our government play a bigger role, we are acutely aware of the fact that our political world is shaping the situation that we're in, and also that it's failing us. And very few leaders are motivating our full political will in this space.
00:39:52:05 - 00:40:25:25
Cheyenne Hunt: We cannot allow short sighted and selfish politics to rob our generations of sustainable future. Our combined generations are shaping the future of politics and are shaping the future of our environment. Each year that passes, more of the world slips further from our ability to reverse permanent damage and disaster. We are no stranger to the stagnating pressure of spiraling anxiety, so I encourage you to encourage those around you to be there for it, for each other and support one another.
00:40:25:28 - 00:40:59:10
Cheyenne Hunt: This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. We are in a situation where this is probably going to be the battle of our lifetime, and we need to make sure that we have friends in this space, that we have people who are in the trenches with us that we can lean on, and that they know they can lean on us to, because this is going to be a not a single one of us can win this on our own, and it's going to take all of us banding together and knowing that, you know, Rome was not built in a day and the environment won't be saved in one either.
00:40:59:10 - 00:41:10:15
Cheyenne Hunt: And how can we lean on each other in a sustainable way, emotionally sustainable way to say in this fight.
00:41:10:18 - 00:41:51:29
Cheyenne Hunt: Again, you are not alone. These are major steps that require political mobilization, and the more that we can vocalize our support, the more that our words will inspire options from those who already agree with us and those who don't engage in the political process. Donate, call your politicians, attend city council meetings. Anything on the local level is just as important because we know that local resource use and allocation also has a massive impact on the lived experiences we are mobilizing politically and has shown we've seen the results in the midterm elections, we've seen the results on social media and the turnout to protests.
00:41:52:01 - 00:42:09:17
Cheyenne Hunt: By keeping each other informed, we are pressuring politicians, corporations and celebrities to be part of the change. We are taking control of a greater portion of this discourse and we are demanding authentic, real action.
00:42:09:20 - 00:42:42:04
Cheyenne Hunt: So one of the places where I think this is key is an understanding of environmental racism. Institutional racism has led to hazardous waste exposure being disproportionately Baird by the communities of color, and enabled wealthy corporations and countries to export their pollutions to developing countries and vulnerable localities within the United States. We have to seek out environmental justice movements and seek out understanding of their lived experience.
00:42:42:04 - 00:43:17:21
Cheyenne Hunt: It's easy for folks who haven't lived what they've lived in Flint, Michigan, for example, to say what needs to be done. But we must seek out the communities that have lived the experience of bearing the brunt of environmental disaster and empower them to lead the charge that is specific to their lived experience. It makes no sense for the rest of us to talk about what it could look like to lose access to clean water that exists.
00:43:17:22 - 00:43:51:11
Cheyenne Hunt: People have lived it to have to make the decision on whether or not you were going to give your child a bath in waters that may have been contaminated by a toxic train derailment. No one should be making that choice, and we shouldn't be speaking for those folks either. And so seeking out their information, seeking out their lived experience, incorporating it into our global activism is key.
00:43:51:13 - 00:44:32:29
Cheyenne Hunt: And this is just another this chart struck me because it's another great visualization of how lower income Americans are more likely to be impacted by environmental problems in their communities, whether it's garbage, pollution of water sources, air pollution, safety of drinking water, or the lack of usable green spaces and parks, these are significant issues that already exist. And as we continue to expand our cultural competency, younger people are becoming more informed and connected to a broader range of these issues and how they intersect with issues of race and class.
00:44:33:01 - 00:45:01:25
Cheyenne Hunt: Every effort you take as an individual is an important mechanism for sustainability. It helps develop a culture of consumerism that recognizes the value of sustainability and environmental conservation. This helps change how businesses operate and how media reacts to new developments and sustainability, and it bolsters the support of nonprofit organizations and new innovations in green tech. Limiting waste production is always a matter of privilege.
00:45:01:25 - 00:45:33:02
Cheyenne Hunt: Who has the privilege to be able to even do that? And it's not about being perfect. Like the previous speaker said, it's about making your nest and your next action your best action. It's about recognizing that every single person who makes even the smallest change will have an impact. So when you feel the forces of climate dismay, remember that it's up to you to stand strong and not let anyone take away your passion, your anger, your optimism, or your voice.
00:45:33:04 - 00:46:05:01
Cheyenne Hunt: Gen Z is leading a new political revolution in this area, and we're bringing other generations along with us, because there is something inherently special about being born into the world, knowing that the future of your species was disregarded before you even got a chance to have a say in it, the future of your environment. And so there there is a lot of energy to be harnessed here.
00:46:05:04 - 00:46:32:18
Cheyenne Hunt: And I think it's key that we bring it into the fold everywhere we can and utilize that power moving forward. That's all I have for my slides, so I look forward to doing some question and answer if there's any. And thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Like I said, this is something that I've been passionate about almost as long as I can remember.
00:46:32:18 - 00:46:39:07
Cheyenne Hunt: And the outrage is very real. And yeah. Thank you. It.
00:46:39:09 - 00:47:20:02
Sara Gutterman: Cheyenne. Well, thank you so much. I really appreciate your honesty in your presentation. It was very powerful. I think you just made me cry when you were talking about how, you know, you were born into this world, knowing that your future is challenged without even you getting a chance. Those are some pretty powerful words, and your presentation is simultaneously sobering and a bit gut wrenching to hear about your sense of betrayal, but also very encouraging to hear about the fact that you and your colleagues and your generation have this profound desire to act and create a radically better future.
00:47:20:02 - 00:47:41:04
Sara Gutterman: So thank you in advance for all the work you are going to continue to do to make sure that happens. And knowing a number of Gen Zs, knowing your passion and commitment, I feel very confident that our world will be better because of your work. We have about ten minutes for questions and I've got a bunch of them, so we're definitely not going to get through all of them today.
00:47:41:04 - 00:48:15:19
Sara Gutterman: But I loved how you said that. You know, we are in a climate crisis, and this should not be a political discussion. Given that you work on the Hill as a climate action attorney and policy advisor, where do you see the bipartisan touchpoints and what is the policy that can get passed with bipartisan support? And then kind of the next layer of that question is, is there specific policy that you are watching that you're most excited about that you think is going to be impactful?
00:48:15:22 - 00:48:43:25
Cheyenne Hunt: I think that something that I am watching closely is, and where there's bipartisan potential is in framing the need to transition to a sustainable economy as an opportunity for the United States to remain a competitive global economy, because this is something that, whether we like it or not, we're transitioning in this direction. We've seen it and how quickly it's moved with hybrid cars and electric cars.
00:48:43:25 - 00:49:06:26
Cheyenne Hunt: And that's just one example. And for the United States to remain a competitive global economy, we have to be a leader in the green space. We just do. And this is a place where people on both sides of the aisle, including those who generally are not so fond of, maybe like prioritizing climate action, are that this is where they start to listen.
00:49:06:26 - 00:49:37:24
Cheyenne Hunt: When you say we are in a real situation here where the United States could fall behind economically, and it's so often framed that climate friendly policies are put posed directly up against economic opportunity. And I think that that's such a mistake. And we're finally finding ways to have these conversations, that pair moving towards a green economy and opportunity, something that I talk about a lot in my advocacy is a just transition.
00:49:37:24 - 00:50:21:16
Cheyenne Hunt: That means no worker left behind. That means ensuring that folks not only are able to move from one job to the next, but that actually sustainability and our intersectional understanding of justice brings them along into a newer opportunity and something that's more sustainable. Because I'll tell you what, while people all plants may be really scared of moving out of an industry that they worked in and their father worked and their father's father worked in, they also know what it's like to have black lung, and they might be really interested in moving into a field where their skills are transferable, their income is similar or higher, and they're not living the experience that comes with working
00:50:21:16 - 00:50:48:28
Cheyenne Hunt: with toxic materials every day. And so it's these kinds of conversations that I think generate hope and interest on both sides of the aisle. How do we make sure that your constituents at home have something that fires them up about this, even if their primary concern is economic? And how do we make sure that the United States remains a leading a leading economy, period, not green economy economy, because the two things are now inseparable.
00:50:49:00 - 00:51:06:24
Sara Gutterman: Thank you. You mentioned that climate action is effective when done right on social media. Can you give some examples or just talk about some messaging that is working and not working?
00:51:06:26 - 00:51:43:06
Cheyenne Hunt: Yeah. You know, I think that what works is and as much as it can be a pain and the internet doesn't function this way because it can be so reactionary, making sure that before you open your mouth, everything that you are going to say is based in hard fact. And this is hard, right? Because it's so easy to see something and get fired up and want to retweet it and say, yeah, that's awful and blah blah blah, but it's where we can pause and take a beat and understand that we live in an information economy that is, that prioritizes outrage over fact.
00:51:43:07 - 00:52:03:01
Cheyenne Hunt: We want to make sure that everything that we're amplifying is real. And so that's my first note for people. If they want to get involved in social media activism in this space, and even the best intentioned people have made can make these mistakes. I've made these mistakes, and it can come from somebody who you really trust. You think, wow, okay, obviously they okay, they put it out.
00:52:03:01 - 00:52:29:18
Cheyenne Hunt: So it must be true. I encourage you to always do your own fact checking on this, because this is an issue area that, like I said, because there's such high emotion, high intensity, it's really easy to become accidentally part of this misinformation or mischaracterization problem. So I would start there. I would also just say this is something that's most effective when done in coalition, where you can organize a day of action or a day of messaging with other folks and other groups.
00:52:29:18 - 00:52:53:04
Cheyenne Hunt: And to a point, that's something that's now trending on Twitter or trending on TikTok because, like the Gen Z Willow project, reaction was one of these examples. We organized as a coalition of folks. It was organizations that intentionally wanted to bring attention and momentum to that, to that movement in to that issue. And so they did it as a group.
00:52:53:04 - 00:53:04:13
Cheyenne Hunt: And that is something where if you really want to put your message on a propulsion towards virality, that's the way to do it.
00:53:04:16 - 00:53:17:24
Sara Gutterman: Thank you. We have a question from Paul. He wants to know if climate leadership is more likely to come from companies or from government, in your opinion, and where should we focus more of our effort?
00:53:17:26 - 00:53:46:01
Cheyenne Hunt: Yeah, I mean, more likely is an interesting question. I think you'll you can get because what's what's leadership really messaging or action. Because one of the things about our system of government is that it is slow by design and that even if you have really ambitious messaging, we elect members who are in a position to, you know, really have our back on these issues.
00:53:46:07 - 00:54:12:06
Cheyenne Hunt: They've got hundreds of other lawmakers they've got to bring along with them on that journey. So when I think it's most likely to take the lead, I would say that corporations who face economic pressure or more likely to move because at the end of the day, their bottom line is at stake. And we've seen that shareholders are starting to put this pressure on because they realize that it's their wallet at stake as well.
00:54:12:14 - 00:54:43:15
Cheyenne Hunt: We see every year during the shareholder meetings and proxy season, new votes come up to the board from the shareholders, pushing large corporations to do sustainability audits, to move their investments into more sustainable directions to divest from fossil fuels. And this is something where I think the ball is just starting to roll with this. And in general, there's a lot of activism to be done there, to empowering shareholders to know that when they cast their proxies, first of all, they have proxy votes to cast and that they have, say, in the way these corporations act.
00:54:43:15 - 00:54:56:16
Cheyenne Hunt: And, you know, as we continue to show by vote that this is something that people whose money is at stake deeply believe in, corporations will move.
00:54:56:18 - 00:55:20:17
Sara Gutterman: Great. You mentioned the reaction to the approval of the Willow project. So beyond just reducing emissions in general and cleaning up our air and our water and our soil, are there specific environmental and social issues that you see your generation, your generation rallying around?
00:55:20:20 - 00:55:51:05
Cheyenne Hunt: Yeah, I mean, I think that it's it's something where our generation, I think more than others because we're starting to feel the effects in a real way now. We're keenly aware of the intersection between climate change and broader societal injustice. So remember, like our first real understanding, for many of us, I'm the oldest of Gen Z at 25, so the rest of them are all younger than me.
00:55:51:05 - 00:56:40:07
Cheyenne Hunt: And their first real understanding of climate change and the way that it really manifests in communities are, you know, like Flint, Michigan, and having no clean water. And that not being a priority. And the protests at standing Rock and watching Native American communities be the ones who are forced to bear the brunt of these projects. And I think there is an new understanding that this is something where really vulnerable communities are the ones who are being forced to bear the brunt of this, and that also fuels, I think, our motivation to jump in and act quickly, because we're seeing the way that, you know, people who are the least prepared to bear these costs, are
00:56:40:09 - 00:56:47:23
Cheyenne Hunt: the ones who are on, are being put on the front lines, regardless of whether they want to be or not.
00:56:47:26 - 00:57:13:02
Sara Gutterman: Yeah. Thank you. That really corroborates the data that we have through our Cognition Smart data market intelligence division that shows that while millennials really believe in social equality, social justice is really a guiding principle for Gen Z, and it has really become a forefront issue. So we have we have time for one last question. So in 60s or less.
00:57:13:05 - 00:57:18:16
Sara Gutterman: Question from Jim. He wants to know what sustains you in your work.
00:57:18:19 - 00:57:45:25
Cheyenne Hunt: Yeah, I think what sustains me is searching for those little nuggets of hope and looking for opportunities to jump in and amplify this message and amplify Gen Z. And it's it's been an incredible movement to see people rally around social media activism in this space and to watch, you know, the Biden administration in particular, like, really their the first presidential administration to feel the force of a full activist Gen Z group on climate change.
00:57:45:25 - 00:58:08:14
Cheyenne Hunt: And, you know, we win some, we lose some. But I know that our voices are making a difference and they're being felt and heard. And so for me, it's it's a difficult fight. And I it's central to everything that I do in my decisions to show up in the world. I announced two weeks ago that I'm running for Congress in my home district of the California 45th district, because this is something that is near and dear to my heart.
00:58:08:15 - 00:58:21:13
Cheyenne Hunt: Our current representative doesn't prioritize it, and that's a complete travesty. And so opportunities for Gen Z voices to enter the space give me hope.
00:58:21:16 - 00:58:43:10
Sara Gutterman: Well, Cheyenne, I don't live in your district, but if I did, I would absolutely vote for you. So if there's anything we can do to help, let me know. Thank you so much for your riveting presentation today. Thank you for your work and your commitment. I look forward to finding all kinds of ways that we can continue to work together and support one another in the future.
00:58:43:10 - 00:58:58:06
Sara Gutterman: I know we just have had some effusive comments from attendees about how much they've enjoyed not just your your words, but your energy and your commitment. So thank you. I think you gave us all some hope and inspiration today.