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Group of teens launch inspirational movement to solve major issue in community: 'Not just sitting around and doing nothing'

"It gives me hope."

"It gives me hope."

Photo Credit: iStock

A group of teenagers in Minnesota is experiencing an increased sense of peace and purpose as it takes action to restore its community's natural spaces, and the movement is growing. 

Green Crew began taking shape in 2021, when Hannah Stockert Barisonzi discussed her concerns about the effects of a warming climate and her desire for more opportunities to contribute to a better future with her father, Joseph Barisonzi, according to The New York Times.

After coming up with a plan, they launched the youth-led program (with Joseph as an adviser) under the Minnesota Valley Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, a well-established conservation organization promoting the sustainable use of natural resources. 

Now 17, Hannah helps organize hundreds of volunteers for initiatives such as tree planting. In Minnesota and other communities, Dutch elm disease has devastated native trees, resulting in less cooling shade and habitat loss for wildlife. "It feels like I'm not just sitting around and doing nothing," Hannah told the Times. "It gives me hope."

Green Crew also works on trail restoration projects and removes invasive species. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invasive species cause around $123 billion in damage in the country each year, with public health, agriculture, and recreation among the sectors impacted. 

Invasive species are also the primary culprit behind biodiversity loss worldwide. While dirty fuels account for most of the heat-trapping pollution warming the planet — leading to more extreme weather events, among other things — biodiversity loss and deforestation are contributing factors. For example, just one mature tree can absorb 48 pounds or more of carbon pollution each year. 

This reality can feel overwhelming at times, with a recent study in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS finding that most U.S. youth (ages 16 to 24) report "moderate climate distress and some functional interference from climate-related thoughts and feelings."  

However, Sarah Lowe, associate professor at the Yale School of Public Health, told the Times that early research suggests collective action can alleviate climate-related anxiety and depression, which is why organizations such as Green Crew "serve as a great model for youth." 

Green Crew has now completed more than 13,500 environmental service hours and has empowered nearly 2,000 youth as part of its mission to make the world a better place. According to the Times, the group is also establishing three other chapters in Minnesota, and it has inspired others from across the country to consider replicating its successful approach. 

"I used to feel overwhelmed by climate change — like nothing I did would matter," Hannah said in a statement on the group's website. "Being part of Green Crew helped me turn that anxiety into action. Now I know I'm not alone, and together we're making a real impact." 

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