How to Change the World (As a Kid/Teen)

Last Updated: April 11, 2021

As a pre-teen or teenager, changing the world can be a great vocation, passion, hobby and interest. You can do quite a few things to make a positive contribution to the lives of others and the environment. The choices listed in this article aren't your only options, but they provide some easy ideas for getting started. Remember: the possibilities are endless!

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Donating

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Donate. Donations can vary from time to time. You may find yourself in a charity shop donating all your old clothes/shoes/toys or you could simply find yourself putting all your loose change inside a money box outside a charity shop. You don't have to do extreme things like for example donating blood if you're definitely not 100 percent sure about it. Do what you feel comfortable with doing. Money that is donated to charity is usually used to help those that are in poverty or that need a little extra care.
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Go to Freerice. It's at: www.freerice.com. Select a category in which you would like to be quizzed. Answer the questions correctly––for every correct answer, you donate 10 grains of rice to someone in need.

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Donate money to the World Food Programme (WFP). This is useful any time, or during disaster recovery, such as after droughts or typhoons.

Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Recycling and litter reduction

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Recycle. You've most likely heard about it and you might even do it yourself. However, you may want to recycle even more. If you've finished drinking a bottle of water and you're definitely sure that you're not going to use it again, recycle it.
- You can recycle many things, quite a few things are: Paper, Glass (may vary from place to place), Cardboard and plastic. You can talk to your current Recycle plan company to find out even more information.
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Hang on to your trash. Time after time you may have found yourself in a position where you have littered. Littering contributes to polluting the planet and is quite hazardous to the people and animals around us. If there aren't any nearby bins, hold on to your rubbish until you find one.
- If your rubbish is recyclable, recycle it. You don't have to pick up other people's litter if you don't want to but if you feel that you should then go ahead but take caution; you don't know where it's been, who/what's touched it and what it may have been previously used for.

Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Being eco-conscious

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Reduce vehicle pollution. It's not only a waste of gas/petrol to drive to a nearby destination but it's also polluting our environment. If your parents (considering you're a kid/teen) offer to drive your school, politely decline their offer and walk instead.
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Ride a bicycle. A bicycle is an outstanding means of getting around for any eco-conscious person, young or old. Talk to your school administration to ensure that they provide adequate bicycle racks for all students to secure their bikes if they choose to ride to school. If you do not have a bicycle, talk to your parents to see if they can help get one for you.
- If your journey isn't walkable or bike-able, you might want to take a bus/train instead. However, it may be best just to let your parents drive you if you don't like to use public transport.
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Be a power saver. Ever found yourself in a position where you seem to have run out of space to plug something in? First of all, if you're not using an electrical powered object, turn it off and then unplug it. It's not necessary to have all the sockets occupied at once.
- If you straighten your hair every morning, for example, then you might want to change that. Not only are you wasting energy but you're damaging your hair. It's also best to avoid over-charging your laptop, for example, if you use one, because they do take quite a while to charge depending on your performance plan. Another example would be if you use a computer and you find yourself bored whilst you're on it.
- A good idea would be to turn it off and consider finding another activity to keep yourself occupied. Also, never leave your computer/laptop on overnight, in that situation, you're not only wasting energy but you're over-heating your computer/laptop and you could increase the chances of a house fire.
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Plant a tree, in your garden, with an organization in your city/town/village. Or donate to organizations that plant trees. Planting trees can help fight climate change, which is causing refugee crisis in Africa and farming problems in India (crops won't grow properly due to increasing heat). Organize your school to raise saplings together and distribute.

Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Sharing your passion

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Try motivational speaking. Motivational speakers can have their ideas and beliefs heard and some have been known to have an impact on the world as a whole. You may not want to stand in the middle of your local park and you most definitely don't want to preach too much.
- A suggestion could be you recording yourself talking about any kind of problem/issue that there is in the world and uploading it to YouTube. If you're lucky, you may just get the right attention.
- Don't give up if it takes time to gain interested listeners or make changes. You could alternatively want to change something and/or address a problem within your local borough by discussing things with your local governor/mayor. It may take a while to grab their direct attention but every effort can lead you at least somehow.
- Make sure you seem professional with what ever you choose to do. No one will listen to someone who is speaking in slang or comes across as aggressive and too demanding.

Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Starting your own project

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Keep in mind - two major resources you have for changing the world are your voice and creativity. What do you believe in, and what ideas do you have to improve the lives of others or the environment?
- Starting a project or advocacy campaign can be difficult, so the most important step is to share your ideas with someone who can support you and hold you accountable.

Warnings

Make sure that you donate money to a legit and registered charity, you don't want to get scammed.

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In most places, littering is an offense and you will get fined depending on what you're littering and where you're littering.

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As mentioned before, it's best that you don't pick up after other people's litter for health and safety reasons.

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Some people might frown upon you doing this.

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