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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Coastal Carolina chapter.

    Greta Thunberg is a 16 year-old Swedish girl who gained fame in 2018 by beginning a school strike to bring awareness to climate issues. Since then, she has amassed a huge following of mostly young people in order to face the fight against climate change head on. She has managed to become a powerhouse, frightening leaders all around the world with her honest dialogue and large army of passionate environmental activists.

Greta often faces criticism due to her young age and her Aspberger condition. However, Greta has remained clear and focused about her narrative on the urgency of the climate situation. She has transformed into a role model for much of the youth, especially young girls, by bravely putting herself in the spotlight. By remaining unbothered and concentrated on her goal she has become a leading catalyst for real change.

Her strength and resilience is evident through her tireless work to set an example of what sustainable living is for the rest of the world. Just one way she did this was by setting sail on a zero-carbon Atlantic voyage. She sailed across the Atlantic on a boat powered only by solar panels and hydro-generators. By documenting her trip everyday, she was inviting the world to embrace the new technology that will help to save this planet. It confirms that the possibility of net zero emissions is real, and very much so reachable if our leaders would pay more attention to it. She also recently delivered a speech at the UN Climate Action Summit. She held nothing back. She simply, and angrily declared to the leaders, “The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say – we will never forgive you.”

The brilliant thing about Greta is that she fearlessly showcases the frustration and disappointment that most people feel towards the government about our decaying Earth. She does not let anything go, and she holds each and every person accountable. She sticks to the facts and places responsibility on individuals who choose ignorance. Greta has kickstarted a movement that in no way is slowing down. She has caused citizens all across the global to wake up. Her undeniable strength is respected and desired by everyone who supports her. She has opened a platform for women in science as well. Females of all ages look to her as a source of motivation and hope. At just sixteen years old she has brought tremendous amounts of change, and is nowhere near done. Her one voice has been powerful enough to deliver a message from the masses: the earth is dying and we are angry. Greta expels ignorance everyday through her work, and by doing this she is an overall prodigy of leadership, opening doors by planting courage into all people to stand up rather than settle.

Sarah McGonigle

Coastal Carolina '22

Sarah is a Political Science major, and she minors in both English and Women's & Gender Studies at Coastal Carolina University. She serves as the President and Correspondent of the Coastal Carolina chapter of Her Campus. Sarah loves listening to music, reading, and attempting to replicate Carrie Bradshaw's style. She finds advocating for social, environmental, and political issues to be an important aspect of her life.