Greta Thunberg, a young Swedish climate change activist who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in a solar-powered racing yacht to promote carbon-neutral transit and had stirred the world with her social awakening, turns 18.
Greta, with her endeavors and zest, compelled the global economies to listen to her voice and seized their attention on the overwhelming issue of climate change which is encompassing our future generation. In the process of challenging regimes across the globe on compromising on the future generation by deteriorating the climate, the activist made her name synonymous with a climate change warrior.
The zealous teenager activist is now an adult and in an interview on her 18th birthday, Thunberg said that she doesn’t judge others who don’t embrace her lifestyle choices but urge people to consider their actions in hindsight.
The eco-activist took Twitter to communicate that she is hoping 2021 to be the “year of awakening” and “real bold change”
Happy New Year! May 2021 be the year of awakening and real bold change. And let’s all continue the never-ending fight for the living planet. #FaceTheClimateEmergency #FightFor1point5 pic.twitter.com/S3zlNziLSy
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) December 31, 2020
The world will not forget her testimony before the US Congress and the U.N. Climate Action Summit after arriving in New York in August 2019, where she asserted, “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I’m one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are at the beginning of a mass extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”
The words of the young activist will not fade away so easily, which offended some but were applauded by many, paving the way for GRETA to reach her goal to spread climate awareness; her social awakening awakened many. She torched the way for many young activists to come in forefront of the battle against the climate emergency. Her efforts were honored and The Time cover announced her as ‘Person of the Year’ in the year 2019. She was also touted “The Power of Youth,” auguring the arrival of the Sunrise Movement and many other youth-led climate activities in the US and around the globe.
On her 18th birthday, Thunberg in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine talked about a number of things she practices to reduce carbon footprints like relying entirely on boat travel or her recent decision not to buy new garments.
“There is a risk when you are vocal about these things and don’t practice as you preach, then you will be criticized and what you are saying won’t be taken seriously,” she said.
Apart from celebs and fast fashion, she shared her discernment on having children at a time when the planet is so clearly under pressure; Ms Thunberg promptly said that she did not consider it selfish to have children, appending it was “not the people who are the problem, it is our behavior”.
To be in a public eye is not merciful and to protest and be on the forefront of a global challenge needs courage, determination and faith in your principle. The 18-year-old briefly talked about her journey and how it has impacted her and people around here, “When it impacts the people around you then it becomes something else,” she said, addressing the death threats and contempt she’s copped during her three years in the public eye.
The now 18 year old Greta Thunberg, the youngest ever to be named Time magazine’s Person of the Year is not just a climate change activist, she is a changemaker, a youth leader who has paved the way for many forthcoming youth-led movements.
