Most Recent Episode
We The Children - Community Building for Climate...by Kids 14
Time: 41:26
Welcome to the We The Children podcast, the podcast where kids talk climate change! The
show is hosted by your resident kid, Zachary James. He may be 11 years old, but he has big
concerns for our future - concerns about how decades and even centuries of our forebears have
done damage to our planet and profited at the expense of our future. Each week, we will
discuss the most pressing climate issues and meet climate warriors who are working to protect
our planet. You’ll get wacky weather reports, play fun trivia games, and learn ways that you can
make a difference in your community. We may not have all the answers, but we will fight for
climate solutions!
Today’s episode is all about conservation with Shawn Sweeney, Associate Vice President of
Communications and Policy at the Jane Goodall Institute. His career has spanned many years
of combining his passion for the environment, research, and community relations. He shares that
while he has worked in conservation for about 15 years, his work in the field really began by
studying animal behavior and conservation psychology in college. He became aware of how
black-capped capuchin monkeys, were treated in the wild and the extinction they faced. He studied
animal behavior at the College of Wooster and got to work on some really cool projects there. He shares his
history of being a nature and wildlife champion. Shawn is a storyteller in his role at the Jane
Goodall Institute. He emphasizes the importance of knowing your audience as a communicator.
During college, Shawn was introduced to Roots & Shoots when they visited a local high school.
He was so inspired by the power of the group that he started his very own on campus. Then,
people were just beginning to talk about these conversations around sustainability and the
climate crisis. Jane Goodall began Roots & Shoots to give young people the opportunity to
make a difference in their own communities. They have developed a 4-step formula for young
people to follow in order to generate the most impact possible. Next, Shawn shares how young
people can get started on their own projects within their communities. These include identifying
a problem, utilizing community mapping and designing a project of your own. Shawn also
shares how the Roots & Shoots team have leveraged Dr. Jane’s gift of storytelling to create a
framework and training for the entire team. When telling these stories, it is important to
recognize and give credit to the person who did the work in order for the story to be told. Before
wrapping up, he explains the oppressive systems in place which create unhealthy conditions for
humans and animals alike. Changing these systems is the key to fighting climate change and
species extinction, and Shawn has hope for younger generations and the power of community.
Links:
Learn more about Shawn Sweeney and Roots & Shoots.
Learn more about We The Children.
Reach out to us @wethechildrenpodcast
Thanks for listening! And always remember, if we act together, we the children, can inspire
hope and create change for our climate!
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Release Date: 08/06/2023, 01:47:56
