Just because you’re young, it doesn’t mean your voice won’t be heard

How many times in your life have you been told you can’t do something? You’re too clumsy, too short, too silly, too young? Fortunately, there are children across the world who have followed their hearts to pave the way to an eco-friendly, sustainable future. We have found the most influential teens that question the way things are and fight tirelessly to create a better world for their generation.

Genesis Butler, 12

@aveganchildsjourneygenesis

“What does veganism have to do with the planet?” asks Genesis Butler, during her 2017 Tedx Talk. “I know. I thought the same thing too – until I learned the facts, and honestly, they really worried me. And I hope they worry you, too.” Although only 10 years old at the time, Genesis shared why she questioned the ethics of the food on her plate – chicken nuggets, to be precise – and how she went vegetarian overnight after realising it was ‘real’ chicken. Her questions then lead her, and her family, to veganism, a topic which she is incredibly passionate about for both animal and environmental welfare reasons. “I see a lot of people in their eco-friendly cars, with their ‘Save the Earth’ bumper stickers, but they’re in drive-throughs ordering burgers,” Genesis says. “I wonder if they know that animal agriculture causes far more environmental destruction that the entire transportation industry.”