Peter Suchmann, author and former teacher
A landmark study showed that 70% of our youth report being worried about climate change, with 63% experiencing “eco-anxiety” that affects their daily lives. Teens report that climate anxiety affects their daily motivation as students, their future decisions regarding college and what professions to consider, where to live, whether or not to have children, and how they can best realise the American Dream. Students feel that their families, their institutions, including their schools, their communities and their government are not taking the problem seriously enough.
98% of teachers report seeing emotional reactions from their students regarding climate change, yet only 10% feel that they have the resources to address them adequately.
This is why I worked for the last two and a half years on what has turned out to be a four-book series entitled Unstoppable—A 2026 Guide To Environmental Activism For Students And Teachers. The first book is a brief introduction to environmental activism that relates to the world of middle and high school students and teachers.
The second and third books provide useful case studies from my own teaching experiences and share sources on the following topics: hunger and food waste, fast fashion, climate migration, climate based competitions, eco-anxiety, greening your school, climate influencers, youth-led law suits, climate games and online simulations, global health issues and fundraising strategies for your Earth Club, as well as climate solutions and effective forms of activism that will resonate with today’s students and teachers.
The last book in the series is the consumable Unstoppable Workbook that will make it easier for students and their Earth Club mentors to develop effective strategies that can work in their classrooms as well as in their environmental action clubs.
In my book series you will learn how to hold a solar festival, how to network with other like-minded students with hashtags and phone apps, how to compete in science competitions to find and enlarge your network, how to make your own TV shows and podcasts and share them with the world, how to join international citizen science expeditions and see the world up close and in person, how to earn school and community service by joining local environmental action groups and so much more.
Imagine if every middle and high school was a solar hub, holding solar festivals and facilitating the spread of plug-in balcony solar panel mini-systems and home and community-based solar systems. Imagine if every school had food sharing tables and used clothing sharing tables, if every school banned plastic water bottles and plastics in their cafeteria. Imagine if every school taught public speaking, leadership skills, empathy and the soft skills that will lead them to success in this new age of AI and related technologies. Imagine if every school taught entrepreneurship through fundraising programs to support their earth action clubs. Imagine if every school led the way to “greening” their campuses and their local communities by networking with other districts that are successfully leading the transition to sustainability, climate justice and climate resiliency.
Imagine it… and then do it!
As Jane Goodall said, “We have the choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place—or not to bother.”
Become the solution you are waiting for!
Apathy is not the answer. Action is the antidote to despair.
You can find the book series here.
Check out the free, global Climate Boot Camp at Ecoactus.org. We plan to build a free, global platform and competition for high school students that will facilitate their networking skills and action plans. Please contact me if interested in helping to develop this.
