How teens are taking charge to improve their gloomy futures
In August 2023, a group of young Montanans won a landmark lawsuit against their home state for violating their rights to a clean and healthful environment under the state constitution. Eva Lighthiser, 17, from Livingston, Montana, is one of the teen plaintiffs in the Held v. State of Montana case. While she counts activist Greta Thunberg and Dr. Steve Running, an expert witness in the Montana lawsuit, as her climate heroes, she also could be seen as one for tomorrow’s youth.
MacArthur: How do climate effects shape how you feel about your future?
Lighthiser: They make me feel very uncertain about my future. Having climate change lay on my mind is something that when considering future options, it's this really, really big issue. And it's only going to continue to get worse. It makes making decisions a bit more difficult.
MacArthur: In what ways have you personally been affected by climate change?
Eva Lighthiser: I've experienced a lot of different things firsthand, such as wildfires and flooding as the two most prominent ones, especially throughout my teens and preteens.
MacArthur: How so?
Lighthiser: Having smoke envelop your town and your home and seeing that all the time is really frightening. And experiencing flooding is a surreal and crazy event because it's so crazy to watch water overtake your home. You feel threatened and you feel helpless in a way, and you're not entirely sure what to do.
“We're aware of the fact that previous generations were the ones who made the decisions that brought us here to this day.”
MacArthur: How did you join the suit?
Lighthiser: I was probably about 13 and my mom found out about it somehow and she said, “Do you want to be a part of this?” It was kind of a no-brainer for me.
MacArthur: How did you feel when you learned the verdict?
Lighthiser: I was so excited. I was speechless.
MacArthur: How does the verdict affect your feelings about the future?
Lighthiser: It makes me really hope that this case can set a precedent for all 50 states and even proceedings in different countries. And it reminds me that there's progress happening and that we're moving forward.
MacArthur: Do you think your victory will make a difference?
Lighthiser: That's another thing I'm very uncertain about. To get to a safe level of carbon in our atmosphere is going to take a lot of work, and it completely depends on whether we're up for that challenge or not.
MacArthur: Do you blame the older generations for the climate effects we have now?
Lighthiser: When it comes down to individual people, of course it's not their complete fault. But we're aware of the fact that previous generations were the ones who made the decisions that brought us here to this day.
MacArthur: Do you put more responsibility on one or another between governments and companies?
Lighthiser: Maybe government, because they're the ones that have the final say in a lot of ways. And companies are sort of in a tier slightly below them.
MacArthur: What do you wish government understood about how climate change affects you and your peers?
Lighthiser: I wish that they understood on a deeper level just how much impact it has on people, especially youth who are disproportionately affected by it, because our futures aren't necessarily their futures. I really hope that our government leaders can understand that this is affecting everybody and it's only going to continue to get worse if we don't do anything about it.
MacArthur: How do you view or support brands that incorporate sustainability or climate actions in their strategies?
Lighthiser: I favor in some ways, certain brands that are trying to lower their carbon footprint and trying to be more sustainable and working towards that more positive future. But I never really dived deep. I probably should, but that's not something that always is a priority for me.
MacArthur: What are your plans for the future? Will it involve activism?
Lighthiser: That's something that I've been trying to figure out recently. I love creative writing. I'm hoping to maybe incorporate that into whatever I do. But yes, finding a way to orient what I do for work around activism and writing and creating something with that would be definitely of interest to me.
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For further reading
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Data Dive: How people around the world feel about climate change