sea level rise threatens our entire planet as Earth becomes warmer and the
planet as Earth becomes warmer and the
planet as Earth becomes warmer and the ice in Greenland and Antarctica melts
ice in Greenland and Antarctica melts
ice in Greenland and Antarctica melts our oceans are rising higher and higher
our oceans are rising higher and higher
our oceans are rising higher and higher this is an issue that is going to define
this is an issue that is going to define
this is an issue that is going to define our generation and it will be up to you
our generation and it will be up to you
our generation and it will be up to you and me to solve the problem tonight I
and me to solve the problem tonight I
and me to solve the problem tonight I would like to talk to you about how you
would like to talk to you about how you
would like to talk to you about how you can help right now no matter how young
can help right now no matter how young
can help right now no matter how young you are but before I tell you how you
you are but before I tell you how you
you are but before I tell you how you can get involved I want to show you
can get involved I want to show you
can get involved I want to show you something
something
something well you’ve actually already seen it
well you’ve actually already seen it
well you’ve actually already seen it it’s me I’m 5 feet 2 inches tall
it’s me I’m 5 feet 2 inches tall
it’s me I’m 5 feet 2 inches tall most scientists predict that Seas will
most scientists predict that Seas will
most scientists predict that Seas will rise 3 feet by the time that I am about
rise 3 feet by the time that I am about
rise 3 feet by the time that I am about sixty years of age this is 3 feet in
sixty years of age this is 3 feet in
sixty years of age this is 3 feet in relation to my body scientists also
relation to my body scientists also
relation to my body scientists also predict that by 2100 seas could rise 6
predict that by 2100 seas could rise 6
predict that by 2100 seas could rise 6 to 10 feet that’s here and way up there
to 10 feet that’s here and way up there
to 10 feet that’s here and way up there I would be submerged that’s a huge
I would be submerged that’s a huge
I would be submerged that’s a huge problem that I need your help to solve
problem that I need your help to solve
problem that I need your help to solve to explain how you can help how you can
to explain how you can help how you can
to explain how you can help how you can find your passion I want to explain how
find your passion I want to explain how
find your passion I want to explain how I found mine I was born here in Miami
I found mine I was born here in Miami
I found mine I was born here in Miami and I split my time between the city of
and I split my time between the city of
and I split my time between the city of a few million people on the shores of
a few million people on the shores of
a few million people on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and a 1,000 acre
the Atlantic Ocean and a 1,000 acre
the Atlantic Ocean and a 1,000 acre island called no name Keith that is just
island called no name Keith that is just
island called no name Keith that is just 43 solar-powered homes on it I guess you
43 solar-powered homes on it I guess you
43 solar-powered homes on it I guess you could say that my life is surrounded by
could say that my life is surrounded by
could say that my life is surrounded by water and that’s where my love for
water and that’s where my love for
water and that’s where my love for marine biology and nature comes from my
marine biology and nature comes from my
marine biology and nature comes from my interest in the environment led me to
interest in the environment led me to
interest in the environment led me to write illustrate and publish three books
write illustrate and publish three books
write illustrate and publish three books on ecology topics when I was in
on ecology topics when I was in
on ecology topics when I was in elementary and middle school and about
elementary and middle school and about
elementary and middle school and about two years ago
two years ago
two years ago I began working on a new book this one
I began working on a new book this one
I began working on a new book this one geared towards young adults about
geared towards young adults about
geared towards young adults about climate change and along the way I have
climate change and along the way I have
climate change and along the way I have met many wonderful people including
met many wonderful people including
met many wonderful people including scientists business owners and policy
scientists business owners and policy
scientists business owners and policy makers
makers
makers all of which who have taught me about
all of which who have taught me about
all of which who have taught me about the science of sea-level rise and that
the science of sea-level rise and that
the science of sea-level rise and that work something that I call the
work something that I call the
work something that I call the sink-or-swim project is why I am here
sink-or-swim project is why I am here
sink-or-swim project is why I am here with you tonight what initially began as
with you tonight what initially began as
with you tonight what initially began as research for a book evolved into an
research for a book evolved into an
research for a book evolved into an educational initiative in which I
educational initiative in which I
educational initiative in which I present lectures about sea-level rise to
present lectures about sea-level rise to
present lectures about sea-level rise to schools all over South Florida to
schools all over South Florida to
schools all over South Florida to elementary middle and high schools
elementary middle and high schools
elementary middle and high schools colleges even adult groups I also just
colleges even adult groups I also just
colleges even adult groups I also just did one by Skype to a school in India as
did one by Skype to a school in India as
did one by Skype to a school in India as part of the project I have written and
part of the project I have written and
part of the project I have written and illustrated a comic book entitled where
illustrated a comic book entitled where
illustrated a comic book entitled where did all the polar bears go that tells
did all the polar bears go that tells
did all the polar bears go that tells the story of what might happen if we
the story of what might happen if we
the story of what might happen if we don’t solve this problem if you are in
don’t solve this problem if you are in
don’t solve this problem if you are in attendance tonight you will receive a
attendance tonight you will receive a
attendance tonight you will receive a copy of this comic book and I hope that
copy of this comic book and I hope that
copy of this comic book and I hope that you will share its message with your
you will share its message with your
you will share its message with your friends the toy bears and penguins that
friends the toy bears and penguins that
friends the toy bears and penguins that I have designed are used as a metaphor
I have designed are used as a metaphor
I have designed are used as a metaphor about the problem and what might happen
about the problem and what might happen
about the problem and what might happen if we don’t change our behaviors I’ve
if we don’t change our behaviors I’ve
if we don’t change our behaviors I’ve also created a website Miami Sierra’s
also created a website Miami Sierra’s
also created a website Miami Sierra’s calm that is filled with information and
calm that is filled with information and
calm that is filled with information and ways to get involved even a blog that I
ways to get involved even a blog that I
ways to get involved even a blog that I write it responds to all of this to the
write it responds to all of this to the
write it responds to all of this to the sink-or-swim project and Miami Sierra’s
sink-or-swim project and Miami Sierra’s
sink-or-swim project and Miami Sierra’s calm has been amazing and what I have
calm has been amazing and what I have
calm has been amazing and what I have learned and what I want you to know is
learned and what I want you to know is
learned and what I want you to know is that no matter your age you can make a
that no matter your age you can make a
that no matter your age you can make a difference in your community and what I
difference in your community and what I
difference in your community and what I have also learned and this is extremely
have also learned and this is extremely
have also learned and this is extremely important is that kids get it we
important is that kids get it we
important is that kids get it we understand that smoke pouring out of a
understand that smoke pouring out of a
understand that smoke pouring out of a factory or a power plant or a car is
factory or a power plant or a car is
factory or a power plant or a car is unhealthy we understand that we have to
unhealthy we understand that we have to
unhealthy we understand that we have to change our behaviors before it’s too
change our behaviors before it’s too
change our behaviors before it’s too late
late
late in this picture for example although
in this picture for example although
in this picture for example although only in third grade these children had
only in third grade these children had
only in third grade these children had over 30 minutes of excellent intelligent
over 30 minutes of excellent intelligent
over 30 minutes of excellent intelligent questions after my recent talk at their
questions after my recent talk at their
questions after my recent talk at their school like I said kids get it now
school like I said kids get it now
school like I said kids get it now before I am with you tonight I need to
before I am with you tonight I need to
before I am with you tonight I need to also tell you that there are some real
also tell you that there are some real
also tell you that there are some real challenges toward solving this problem
challenges toward solving this problem
challenges toward solving this problem and perhaps the biggest one is politics
and perhaps the biggest one is politics
and perhaps the biggest one is politics if you and I are ever going to solve
if you and I are ever going to solve
if you and I are ever going to solve this problem we must demand that our
this problem we must demand that our
this problem we must demand that our leaders help us even though I don’t have
leaders help us even though I don’t have
leaders help us even though I don’t have a vote let me give you an example of
a vote let me give you an example of
a vote let me give you an example of what I have
what I have
what I have to show you that even children have a
to show you that even children have a
to show you that even children have a voice miami-dade County has a seven
voice miami-dade County has a seven
voice miami-dade County has a seven billion dollar budget that’s the money
billion dollar budget that’s the money
billion dollar budget that’s the money that our government spends on all sorts
that our government spends on all sorts
that our government spends on all sorts of things each year and it’s a lot of
of things each year and it’s a lot of
of things each year and it’s a lot of money but when I first saw our mayor’s
money but when I first saw our mayor’s
money but when I first saw our mayor’s proposed 2016 budget a budgets so large
proposed 2016 budget a budgets so large
proposed 2016 budget a budgets so large it takes up three books and is almost a
it takes up three books and is almost a
it takes up three books and is almost a thousand pages long I learned that it
thousand pages long I learned that it
thousand pages long I learned that it mentioned climate change in just one
mentioned climate change in just one
mentioned climate change in just one sentence near the end of the third book
sentence near the end of the third book
sentence near the end of the third book and did not plan to allocate any money
and did not plan to allocate any money
and did not plan to allocate any money towards the problem not even one dollar
towards the problem not even one dollar
towards the problem not even one dollar I was so upset over the lack of action
I was so upset over the lack of action
I was so upset over the lack of action by our government that I decided to
by our government that I decided to
by our government that I decided to write some blogs about what was
write some blogs about what was
write some blogs about what was happening and I’m happy to tell you that
happening and I’m happy to tell you that
happening and I’m happy to tell you that people read them a lot of people and
people read them a lot of people and
people read them a lot of people and they encouraged me a teenager to keep
they encouraged me a teenager to keep
they encouraged me a teenager to keep demanding that our government help so I
demanding that our government help so I
demanding that our government help so I attended the County Commission meeting
attended the County Commission meeting
attended the County Commission meeting and I spoke in front of the entire
and I spoke in front of the entire
and I spoke in front of the entire Commission and mayor I told them that
Commission and mayor I told them that
Commission and mayor I told them that people want to see their leaders working
people want to see their leaders working
people want to see their leaders working on sea level rise solutions I also
on sea level rise solutions I also
on sea level rise solutions I also demanded that the mayor of ices budget
demanded that the mayor of ices budget
demanded that the mayor of ices budget and allocate one million dollars towards
and allocate one million dollars towards
and allocate one million dollars towards the problem and do you know what he and
the problem and do you know what he and
the problem and do you know what he and the rest of the Commission did as a
the rest of the Commission did as a
the rest of the Commission did as a result of people rising up and speaking
result of people rising up and speaking
result of people rising up and speaking out like I did he agreed to budget three
out like I did he agreed to budget three
out like I did he agreed to budget three hundred thousand dollars and created
hundred thousand dollars and created
hundred thousand dollars and created Miami Dade’s first chief sustainability
Miami Dade’s first chief sustainability
Miami Dade’s first chief sustainability officer now three hundred thousand
officer now three hundred thousand
officer now three hundred thousand dollars is not nearly enough nor is the
dollars is not nearly enough nor is the
dollars is not nearly enough nor is the 1 million that I asked for but it is a
1 million that I asked for but it is a
1 million that I asked for but it is a start and it proves that each of us has
start and it proves that each of us has
start and it proves that each of us has a voice by becoming involved by
a voice by becoming involved by
a voice by becoming involved by demanding change people will listen even
demanding change people will listen even
demanding change people will listen even if it is a child talking or blogging or
if it is a child talking or blogging or
if it is a child talking or blogging or tweeting but time is running out we need
tweeting but time is running out we need
tweeting but time is running out we need to get started now South Florida’s
to get started now South Florida’s
to get started now South Florida’s environment is one of the most fragile
environment is one of the most fragile
environment is one of the most fragile on earth if you and I don’t solve this
on earth if you and I don’t solve this
on earth if you and I don’t solve this problem our coral reefs will become
problem our coral reefs will become
problem our coral reefs will become extinct and places like Miami Beach the
extinct and places like Miami Beach the
extinct and places like Miami Beach the Florida Keys and the Everglades will
Florida Keys and the Everglades will
Florida Keys and the Everglades will disappear underwater forever
disappear underwater forever
disappear underwater forever so I need your help I need you to become
so I need your help I need you to become
so I need your help I need you to become involved to speak up and out because the
involved to speak up and out because the
involved to speak up and out because the time has come for our generation to
time has come for our generation to
time has come for our generation to solve this problem to change old habits
solve this problem to change old habits
solve this problem to change old habits by getting rid of fossil fuels to set
by getting rid of fossil fuels to set
by getting rid of fossil fuels to set politics aside to invent new
politics aside to invent new
politics aside to invent new technologies the time has come for our
technologies the time has come for our
technologies the time has come for our generation to decide whether we want our
generation to decide whether we want our
generation to decide whether we want our planet to sink or swim thank you
planet to sink or swim thank you
planet to sink or swim thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment