Why is involving children so important in building a culture of ‘just’ sustainability?
Sustainability is not something that can just be accepted by the adult and elderly age groups. The way for the 4 key areas of just sustainability to be met there has to be a generational trend of sustainable tendencies that resonates with the youth.
Recently we have been fortunate enough to interview the Director of the Youth of KPSP: Ms. Antanae Hodges. Her job involves her being the coordinator for events and information geared toward the youth. She is a firm believer that instructing and enforcing the idea of living a lifestyle that allows them to maximize their potential in a sustained lifestyle.
Here are some questions and answers from our interview:
Q: What are some lessons that you have learned from this work?
A: Well I have learned that children are really a gateway to sustainability. In almost every kid I’ve worked with I see this fire in their eyes that wants to know more and see more when it comes to sustainable living.
Q: Do you feel that KPSP is doing their part in the sustainability efforts?
A: Well KPSP, has done a wonderful job at making sure the youth are aware of their options and the right thing to do. I feel we are off to a great start and we are only going to improve.
(Children Participating in a KPSP activity)
How Does This Relate to Sustainability as a Whole?
To truly analyze the impact of KPSP we must look at the situation that Hartford’s population is in. Hartford, CT has the largest population of African-American residents (in terms of percentage) across the state. This is important because African-Americans are the people who are the most at risk in terms of health problems that come along with sustainability issues such as food deserts.
“Nearly half of African-Americans born in the year 2000 are expected to develop type II diabetes. Four out of every 10 African-American men and women over the age of 20 have high blood pressure. Blacks are 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease than whites” – Will Allen
Will Allen runs a program similar to KPSP where he introduces the thought process behind sustainability to children. He does so to make sure that the kids always have an outlet of food that they can rely on instead of unhealthy food. KPSP is making sure that the kids of Hartford have this same opportunity.
The more the youth learn and get accustomed to living under the guidelines of sustainable living, the better shape our communities will be in the long run. KPSP teaches kids how to grow plants, minimize waste, maximize resources, etc. This allows them to already have knowledge of how to function and excel in unsuitable situations such as food deserts, financial stress, and other issues that normal people without this knowledge would not be able to do. Ensuring that kids are able to live this lifestyle is crucial for the future.