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Creating a grassroots movement to inspire change | Hannah Faris | TEDxMeritAcademy


for the past 17 years of my life I’ve

for the past 17 years of my life I’ve been preparing for my future at least

been preparing for my future at least

been preparing for my future at least that’s what it feels like I’ve studied

that’s what it feels like I’ve studied

that’s what it feels like I’ve studied and worked in hopes of writing a happy

and worked in hopes of writing a happy

and worked in hopes of writing a happy and stable future for myself I’ve always

and stable future for myself I’ve always

and stable future for myself I’ve always had big dreams like becoming a doctor

had big dreams like becoming a doctor

had big dreams like becoming a doctor and maybe even having a family of my own

and maybe even having a family of my own

and maybe even having a family of my own but if we continue it the way that we

but if we continue it the way that we

but if we continue it the way that we are now I may never be able to achieve

are now I may never be able to achieve

are now I may never be able to achieve my dreams we are at a dangerous tipping

my dreams we are at a dangerous tipping

my dreams we are at a dangerous tipping point and if we fall there’s no return

point and if we fall there’s no return

point and if we fall there’s no return the danger that I’m talking about is

the danger that I’m talking about is

the danger that I’m talking about is climate change God’s caused by

climate change God’s caused by

climate change God’s caused by greenhouse gas emissions an atmospheric

greenhouse gas emissions an atmospheric

greenhouse gas emissions an atmospheric carbon concentration of 350 parts per

carbon concentration of 350 parts per

carbon concentration of 350 parts per million is considered to be safe but we

million is considered to be safe but we

million is considered to be safe but we are currently soaring far above that and

are currently soaring far above that and

are currently soaring far above that and an average of 407 parts per million now

an average of 407 parts per million now

an average of 407 parts per million now that might not seem like a lot but a

that might not seem like a lot but a

that might not seem like a lot but a year ago it was 400 and for this

year ago it was 400 and for this

year ago it was 400 and for this increase in atmospheric carbon

increase in atmospheric carbon

increase in atmospheric carbon concentration contributes to the

concentration contributes to the

concentration contributes to the greenhouse effect which causes the

greenhouse effect which causes the

greenhouse effect which causes the planet to heat up this increase in

planet to heat up this increase in

planet to heat up this increase in global temperature sets in motion many

global temperature sets in motion many

global temperature sets in motion many positive feedback loops but by far the

positive feedback loops but by far the

positive feedback loops but by far the most devastating of these is the melting

most devastating of these is the melting

most devastating of these is the melting of permafrost as the name implies

of permafrost as the name implies

of permafrost as the name implies permafrost is supposed to remain frozen

permafrost is supposed to remain frozen

permafrost is supposed to remain frozen permanently but when permafrost melts it

permanently but when permafrost melts it

permanently but when permafrost melts it releases methane a greenhouse gas that

releases methane a greenhouse gas that

releases methane a greenhouse gas that is far more potent than carbon dioxide

is far more potent than carbon dioxide

is far more potent than carbon dioxide this release of methane leads to more

this release of methane leads to more

this release of methane leads to more warming which melts more permafrost thus

warming which melts more permafrost thus

warming which melts more permafrost thus restarting the cycle and this coupled

restarting the cycle and this coupled

restarting the cycle and this coupled with other positive feedback loops like

with other positive feedback loops like

with other positive feedback loops like the death of flora and forests increased

the death of flora and forests increased

the death of flora and forests increased cloud cover and the albedo effect will

cloud cover and the albedo effect will

cloud cover and the albedo effect will cause global warming just quickly spiral

cause global warming just quickly spiral

cause global warming just quickly spiral out of control but the thing that is

out of control but the thing that is

out of control but the thing that is most important is not what could happen

most important is not what could happen

most important is not what could happen but what we as individuals could do to

but what we as individuals could do to

but what we as individuals could do to stop it and our biggest opponent is

stop it and our biggest opponent is

stop it and our biggest opponent is climate change denial but we can no

climate change denial but we can no

climate change denial but we can no longer afford to hold these doubts today

longer afford to hold these doubts today

longer afford to hold these doubts today the evidence that climate change is real

the evidence that climate change is real

the evidence that climate change is real is simply far too strong since 9 as I

is simply far too strong since 9 as I

is simply far too strong since 9 as I learned more and more about climate

learned more and more about climate

learned more and more about climate change I became more and more terrified

change I became more and more terrified

change I became more and more terrified but I asked myself I’m only a teenager

but I asked myself I’m only a teenager

but I asked myself I’m only a teenager what can I do about it so I put it aside

what can I do about it so I put it aside

what can I do about it so I put it aside and waited for the government to make a

and waited for the government to make a

and waited for the government to make a difference but as the years passed

difference but as the years passed

difference but as the years passed nothing changed and that’s when I

nothing changed and that’s when I

nothing changed and that’s when I realized this is everyone’s problem

realized this is everyone’s problem

realized this is everyone’s problem since we all drive cars we should all

since we all drive cars we should all

since we all drive cars we should all clean up after them there are 1.2

clean up after them there are 1.2

clean up after them there are 1.2 billion cars in the road think about it

billion cars in the road think about it

billion cars in the road think about it 1.2 billion cars spewing carbon dioxide

1.2 billion cars spewing carbon dioxide

1.2 billion cars spewing carbon dioxide into our atmosphere every year now some

into our atmosphere every year now some

into our atmosphere every year now some people may go out and buy an electric or

people may go out and buy an electric or

people may go out and buy an electric or hydrogen car and think that they have

hydrogen car and think that they have

hydrogen car and think that they have done their part but they usually resell

done their part but they usually resell

done their part but they usually resell their old car and if that car is still

their old car and if that car is still

their old car and if that car is still on the road then it’s still part of the

on the road then it’s still part of the

on the road then it’s still part of the 1.2 billion cars being carbon dioxide to

1.2 billion cars being carbon dioxide to

1.2 billion cars being carbon dioxide to truly halt our emissions we need the

truly halt our emissions we need the

truly halt our emissions we need the either junk or convert our cars to run

either junk or convert our cars to run

either junk or convert our cars to run on a fuel that emits no carbon dioxide

on a fuel that emits no carbon dioxide

on a fuel that emits no carbon dioxide we have to be responsible for our cars

we have to be responsible for our cars

we have to be responsible for our cars and clean up our own mess

and clean up our own mess

and clean up our own mess even though electric cars are promising

even though electric cars are promising

even though electric cars are promising solution adoptionism is slow it is

solution adoptionism is slow it is

solution adoptionism is slow it is estimated that they make up less than

estimated that they make up less than

estimated that they make up less than one percent of cars on the road and

one percent of cars on the road and

one percent of cars on the road and hydrogen cars even less due to limited

hydrogen cars even less due to limited

hydrogen cars even less due to limited adoption they will not be able to

adoption they will not be able to

adoption they will not be able to decrease emissions soon enough to save

decrease emissions soon enough to save

decrease emissions soon enough to save us

us

us and in addition you would have to spend

and in addition you would have to spend

and in addition you would have to spend over thirty to fifty thousand dollars to

over thirty to fifty thousand dollars to

over thirty to fifty thousand dollars to buy one of these and that’s out of most

buy one of these and that’s out of most

buy one of these and that’s out of most people’s budgets in contrast converting

people’s budgets in contrast converting

people’s budgets in contrast converting your car is much cheaper this helps deal

your car is much cheaper this helps deal

your car is much cheaper this helps deal with what I consider to be one of the

with what I consider to be one of the

with what I consider to be one of the main problems the current green

main problems the current green

main problems the current green solutions the cost if only I convert my

solutions the cost if only I convert my

solutions the cost if only I convert my car that won’t even come close to making

car that won’t even come close to making

car that won’t even come close to making a dent in our yearly emissions to make a

a dent in our yearly emissions to make a

a dent in our yearly emissions to make a true difference we need to get everybody

true difference we need to get everybody

true difference we need to get everybody to convert their cars with 1.2 billion

to convert their cars with 1.2 billion

to convert their cars with 1.2 billion cars on the road think about how much

cars on the road think about how much

cars on the road think about how much how much carbon we could keep from going

how much carbon we could keep from going

how much carbon we could keep from going to the atmosphere if we converted our

to the atmosphere if we converted our

to the atmosphere if we converted our cars to run on a fuel that does not emit

cars to run on a fuel that does not emit

cars to run on a fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide now people have been

carbon dioxide now people have been

carbon dioxide now people have been converting their cars to run on things

converting their cars to run on things

converting their cars to run on things like french fry oil and methane noting

like french fry oil and methane noting

like french fry oil and methane noting for years right and more recently people

for years right and more recently people

for years right and more recently people have been talking about using liquid or

have been talking about using liquid or

have been talking about using liquid or gaseous hydrogen and if you would like

gaseous hydrogen and if you would like

gaseous hydrogen and if you would like to sign up for a conversion you can sign

to sign up for a conversion you can sign

to sign up for a conversion you can sign up on our wait our website kits for

up on our wait our website kits for

up on our wait our website kits for hydrogen org and after you sign up we

hydrogen org and after you sign up we

hydrogen org and after you sign up we will inform you when there are wait when

will inform you when there are wait when

will inform you when there are wait when there are conversions available in your

there are conversions available in your

there are conversions available in your area and we need enough people to sign

area and we need enough people to sign

area and we need enough people to sign up on this waitlist because the only way

up on this waitlist because the only way

up on this waitlist because the only way you can get people to you can get

you can get people to you can get

you can get people to you can get investors to invest is if theirs

investors to invest is if theirs

investors to invest is if theirs interests right once and once it’s

interests right once and once it’s

interests right once and once it’s proven public interest we can open

proven public interest we can open

proven public interest we can open conversion stations so how do you create

conversion stations so how do you create

conversion stations so how do you create a grassroots movement to inspire change

a grassroots movement to inspire change

a grassroots movement to inspire change I plan to open kids for hydrogen

I plan to open kids for hydrogen

I plan to open kids for hydrogen chapters in all 50 states we are

chapters in all 50 states we are

chapters in all 50 states we are contacting hundreds of environmental

contacting hundreds of environmental

contacting hundreds of environmental science teachers across America to open

science teachers across America to open

science teachers across America to open chapters in their communities and they

chapters in their communities and they

chapters in their communities and they will be using materials that we provided

will be using materials that we provided

will be using materials that we provided for them like videos and other Flyers

for them like videos and other Flyers

for them like videos and other Flyers they would also speak at events like

they would also speak at events like

they would also speak at events like Earth Day the idea is that these

Earth Day the idea is that these

Earth Day the idea is that these chapters can inspire people to convert

chapters can inspire people to convert

chapters can inspire people to convert their cars and be a part of the movement

their cars and be a part of the movement

their cars and be a part of the movement chapters will help our grassroots

chapters will help our grassroots

chapters will help our grassroots network grow and take root in

network grow and take root in

network grow and take root in communities across America so if you’re

communities across America so if you’re

communities across America so if you’re like me you’re probably of feeling a

like me you’re probably of feeling a

like me you’re probably of feeling a little bit overwhelmed with all this

little bit overwhelmed with all this

little bit overwhelmed with all this talk of you know climate change in the

talk of you know climate change in the

talk of you know climate change in the future right we all feel hopeless and so

future right we all feel hopeless and so

future right we all feel hopeless and so we continue to live our lives hoping

we continue to live our lives hoping

we continue to live our lives hoping that someone else will make the

that someone else will make the

that someone else will make the difference but we can’t afford to do

difference but we can’t afford to do

difference but we can’t afford to do that any longer and the true beauty of

that any longer and the true beauty of

that any longer and the true beauty of converting our cars is it allows

converting our cars is it allows

converting our cars is it allows everybody to be a part of it and it puts

everybody to be a part of it and it puts

everybody to be a part of it and it puts the solution directly into our hands we

the solution directly into our hands we

the solution directly into our hands we all have the potential to write our own

all have the potential to write our own

all have the potential to write our own future with our current actions

future with our current actions

future with our current actions everything we do now will be what we

everything we do now will be what we

everything we do now will be what we pass on to our children I don’t want to

pass on to our children I don’t want to

pass on to our children I don’t want to be remembered as the generation that

be remembered as the generation that

be remembered as the generation that doomed our earth I want to be remembered

doomed our earth I want to be remembered

doomed our earth I want to be remembered as the generation that saved it will you

as the generation that saved it will you

as the generation that saved it will you join me thank you

”

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