Polar Explorers and Michigan Youth Climate Activists:

By Michael Collins
Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition

(cross posted from http://www.thelongestsummertour.org)

Most students on a Friday night are out celebrating a hard earned break from classes or resting up for the morning football tailgate. Not the Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition or students at Grand Valley State University. This past weekend the Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition (MSSC) caravanned throughout Michigan with the Will Steger Foundation (WSF) for their Longest Summer Tour. The Michigan leg of the tour kicked off in Grand Rapids with presentations all day and a Friday night program at Grand Valley State’s downtown Grand Rapids campus. The Friday evening event literally moved climate change from the lecture hall to prime time, as over 100 students filled a packed room to see polar explorers share the stage with professors, students from the Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition and Steve Chester, Director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Student representatives from various colleges in Michigan and MSSC coordinators had the honor of sharing the floor with arctic explorers and climate change solutions activists Will Steger and Toby Thorleifsson. Conversations ranged from how individuals and governments can combat climate change to the first hand accounts of arctic explorers on the effects of global warming on the polar regions of the world.

As MSSC activists traveled the state with Will Steger, Toby Thorleifsson and the rest of the group it immediately became clear that a unique relationship had been forged with the wonderful folks at Will Steger Foundation. I personally first met Mr. Steger about 10 minutes prior to a presentation at Calvin College in Grand Rapids on Friday, and what struck me most was his respect for the undertakings of young activists and students here in Michigan. Many people are almost immediately dismissive of youth groups, “what foolish idealists and kids” some say, others approach us less cynically but sometimes it is as if their eyes are telling me “awww isn’t that cute, the kids are organizing, lets give em a cookie”. Mr. Steger and entourage on the other hand were immediately respectful of our work and at times even seemed impressed. I didn’t feel a burden to them, except when badgering Jim the AV tech with only seconds to spare before show time.

Over the last few days we traveled with the tour to the great Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Once there, it was evident that we had entered more familiar territory for the Minnesota based Will Steger Foundation. U.P. there we were closer to many friends of Will Steger and this could be evidenced by the fact the crowds that gathered grew in strength the farther north we traveled. A Sunday night event in Marquette, home of Northern Michigan University, drew 200 people and added Brandon Knight of Global Exchange and Northern Michigan University activist Michael Rotter as speakers at the event. The youth climate movement literally grew in mass at the event, as NMU students flocked to a Power Vote table set up outside the event and the crowd lingered for an hour after the event to continue networking.

The MSSC connection with WSF continued to grow through the tour. On Monday we were even able to share in a hike with Abby and Ellie, two of WSF’s tour organizers. This was an amazing event itself, though at the time we weren’t reaching out to crowds of dozens with our message, it was tremendous for me, a Michigan native, to be able share the near metaphysical nature of the North Woods of Michigan, if only for a moment.

The culminating event in Michigan was at the tip of the state in Houghton at Michigan Technical University. Will Steger’s name attracted a crowd of over 500 Michiganders. While I was sweating profusely during my entire speech about youth climate activism in Michigan, Mr. Steger and his fellow explorer/friend Toby seemed as at ease in front of the crowd as they do in subzero temperatures surrounded by wolves. Maybe this is because the one thing I really took away from the whole experience is that this stuff matters. Aside from being able to hang out with cool people all weekend drinking craft Michigan spirits and hiking our trails, I left with a sense of renewed passion for the work I do.

The folks at the Will Steger Foundation have all been working for climate justice and fighting for a great global awakening for years and some of them for decades, yet their spirit is as unwavering and determined as ever. Toby at one point commented on “the real world work” that many young activists fear having to enter into, abandoning their foolish and idealistic ideals, saying goodbye to their friends and welcoming a so-called corporate 9-5 lifestyle. If I learned anything this week it was that this is the “real world” and it is the only one we have. Our planet and economy demands that the youth of this country rise up and demand a clean and just energy future. Otherwise as the Longest Summer Tour states, “You’re gonna miss it when it’s gone”.