Climate change weighs heavily on the minds of young people. Four in 10 say they fear having children because of climate change, and in a recent study, two-thirds of participants indicated that climate change made them feel “afraid, sad, and anxious.” Descriptors such as angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty also appeared. Over half of the young people surveyed believe that governments have failed to respond adequately to climate change.

As the American political arena often places sport above service, it is no wonder that young people feel failed by our institutions. While solutions to climate change may feel distant, there is reason to be hopeful.