Teenage author releases inspiring illustrated book on pressing global issue: 'It's a topic that can sometimes be so scary'

A teenage author has used her experiences living abroad as inspiration for a book about how kids can turn their love for the environment into meaningful action — one easy step at a time.

As WFSB detailed, Luna Hansen and her mother, Kimberly Haidinger, began to realize their passion for protecting the planet during their two years in Denmark, a leading country in sustainability.

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Denmark generates nearly 72% of its energy from clean sources, and 24% of its workers are dedicated to green objectives, according to the country's tourism organization. The capital city of Copenhagen even rewards visitors for making eco-friendly decisions.

"They really cared about the planet a lot. The inspiration was all around us," Hansen said.

The teen from Farmington, Connecticut, illustrated her book — titled "A Kid's Guide to Climate Activism" — on cut-up pieces of paper.

She and her mom also focused on using simple language that would connect with young learners and empower them to incorporate climate-friendly practices in their daily routines.

Readers can learn about how avoiding single-use items, reducing food waste by composting, and eating more plant-based foods can be fun and collectively make a difference when people around the world join in, leading to cleaner communities and a cooler planet in the future.

"If everyone can just do some of these little things at home, we can really change our planet," Hansen told WFSB.

"It's a topic that can sometimes be so scary we look away from it, we have to not think about it, but we put this together in such a way, through Luna's drawings and the words we chose, it's really positive," Haidinger added. "People will feel, 'OK, I get it, and I know what I can do.'"

In May, Haidinger revealed in a joint post on Instagram with Bannon River Books, a self-publisher that specializes in nonfiction and kids' books, that the author's copy of "A Kid's Guide to Climate Activism" was officially in her hands.