By Sophia Skarparis
One in three young Australians feel eco-stress, “reporting that feelings about climate change had a negative impact on their daily functioning every day”, according to a 2023 report by Orygen and Mission Australia. We want change, but most young people just don’t know where to start.
I want to show young people that even the smallest actions can make a real difference. That’s why I chose to be part of Stay Tuned to the Planet (STTOP)’s new online sustainability program. SSTOP is “a 28 episode fast paced series on YouTube and TikTok that delivers simple, everyday actions to inspire young people to be part of the sustainability movement”. It’s free, it’s in many classrooms, and it’s where we can help young people build the knowledge, confidence, and agency to take action. If we can support students now, we also help shift the mindset of parents, friends, and whole communities. Because if we’re all in this together, real change is possible.
In Year 10, I had to complete a personal project as part of my studies. Around that time, I started noticing plastic litter scattered across the soccer fields where I trained. Soccer was my outlet, but seeing all that plastic was starting to make me worried. Plastic bags contaminate ecosystems, harm marine life and never fully decompose. They were already banned in other states and territories, so why was New South Wales lagging behind?
I saw my school project as an opportunity to use my voice, as I was not old enough to vote yet. With support from my teachers, I launched a petition to ban lightweight plastic bags in NSW. I went to schools, movie theatres and local farmers’ markets, and by October 2018, I had mobilised over 12,000 handwritten signatures for my petition. There was later a debate in NSW Parliament, and what followed, with the help of others, was the implementation of the NSW Plastics Action Plan in 2021. By 2023, all states and territories had banned lightweight plastic bags.
I’m really lucky that my school helped me pursue my passions. But I wanted to make sure that other kids knew that they could make their voice heard too.
People always say young people are the future, that we’ll inherit the Earth. But the truth is, we’re already part of what’s happening now. One of the best things we can do is support young people with the tools and confidence to take action, even in small ways.
STTOP’s new sustainability program is all about keeping it simple. You don’t need to change laws or talk to politicians to make a difference. It’s about what you can do in your own world – small, practical actions that actually add up. Whether it’s organising a clothing swap, cutting down on plastic at school, or starting a petition, the lessons are made to give students real, doable ways to get involved.
The resources are free, easy to use, and the program for years 5 to 9 is ready for teachers to roll out, anywhere in Australia.
For me, school gave me the space and support to pursue the work I cared about. I want other students to have that same opportunity, to see themselves as changemakers, right now, because waiting until we grow up might be too late. We have the power as a team of youth to re-write the future for the better.
Teachers can check out the school program online here.
