Rallying support for people impacted by climate disasters

These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity.

Enya Fang rallies support for people impacted by climate-related catastrophes. This 16-year-old, Grade 12 student at Southridge School in Surrey, B.C., won a 2024 youth climate activism award from I-SEA Canada for raising awareness and over $10,000 since setting up the not-for-profit Evergreen Collective in 2021.

Tell us about your project.

In August 2021, after Lytton, B.C., was burned to the ground, my friend Meredith Wang and I began thinking of ways to help. We started selling doughnuts outside our local Canadian Tire store -  but what mattered to me was letting the people of Lytton know that high school students, who were 200 kilometres away, cared. One day, a woman stopped by and gave us $20 but didn't take any doughnuts. With tears in her eyes, she told us she had been driving through Lytton shortly before the road was closed and was absolutely horrified. She wanted us to know how grateful she was that people as young as us were taking care of the people who had lost so much. 

I understood then that we had a role to play in bringing comfort, not just to the recipients of the money we raised, but also to the donors. People do care about the victims of climate change, but they don’t always know how to help. We were helping her, too. 

Inspired, we helped lead student fundraisers province-wide for all types of disaster relief. We hosted debate tournaments, inviting students to consider how socioeconomic and political questions intersect with the environment, and used tournament fees to help those impacted by climate. We organized community clean-ups and tote-bag sales, and produced an online climate webinar for students to freely access. At present, we are working on building an Environmental Google to facilitate easy browsing of sustainable lifestyle choices.

To date, we have supported over 10 charities, established chapters in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, California and Turkey. We also have two running blogs, one of which features unsung heroes of the climate movement. Back in December 2023, I had the opportunity to interview Santa Hank, a previously unhoused elder who now uses the money from his own recycling organization to help other unhoused people. 

What makes it hard?

There are so many systems that need to change. Often, the changes that are made do not reflect intergenerational or intersectional perspectives. Many environmental activists are seen as “political pests.”

What gives you hope? 

I recently read about the use of AI in designing smart sewer systems that avert flooding during heavy rainfall, and drought-resistant crops - novel intersectional technologies like that could really be game-changers. 

Public behaviour is gradually adapting. Even if it's as simple as the straws we use to drink, sustainable habits are becoming normalized. 

How did the way you were raised affect where you are now?

I spent my childhood in Singapore. Being surrounded by green spaces, yet inhaling the smoke from burning Indonesian trees every summer, really made me question how decisions were made about the environment. My parents welcomed my curiosity and encouraged me to explore a plethora of international opinions. That’s part of why I am outspoken and open-minded. 

What do you see if we get this right?

The humanitarian nature of climate change provides many angles for action. I’d like to see people worldwide participating in climate discussions. 

What would you like to say to other young people?

There are so many issues and opportunities, including the environment, equity, education, ethics and more. Even if, right now, none seem to interest you, wait for an angle that does. When you have something you genuinely love working on, even after the longest day at work or school, you’ll be surprised at how much change you can make. 

What about older readers?

Thank you for taking the time to read this. The future of the world matters to us all, regardless of age, and I hope that realization can serve as a foundation for building a world that reflects, not just the vision of youth, but the vision of all who live and work on planet Earth.