If you thought teens and ecology didn’t go together, you need to read this. In high school auditoriums across the country, teens are crowding in to see one film. No, it’s not a blockbuster thriller, or the latest chick flick. Instead, it’s Al Gore’s award-breaking documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” a film warning of the dangers of global warming. From California to Boston, New York to Oregon, teens are jumping on the think green bandwagon.

Working with organizations such as Do Something, teens are galvanizing to work toward sustainability, creating model environmental structures, recycling, and helping to spread the word about renewable energy options. Nationwide, teens are joining celebrities such as Sheryl Crow, Madonna, and Raven in embracing activism and leadership. According to Gordian Raacke, executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island, getting teens involved in thinking green is critical toward tomorrow. Raacke participated in a program conducted by Al Gore organized by The Climate Project; he was one of 1,000 individuals selected worldwide to be trained as Climate Messengers by Gore. ”It is now clear that the biggest issue we face in the 21st Century is climate change caused by our non-sustainable energy use,” said Raacke. “As we burn more and more coal, oil, and natural gas in our power plants and gasoline in our cars, trucks, and airplanes, we are emitting unprecedented amounts of heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the planet's atmosphere which is leading to record global temperatures, sea level rise, melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, and dangerous climate change.” Raacke believes we all need to work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “But as a teenager, doing something about climate change is even more important than for older folks because the worst impacts of cooking our planet will most likely happen when today's adults are gone.” Good ways for teens is to get informed. Next, they should arm themselves with facts about the many things they can do to “go on a low-carbon diet,” and volunteer with other like-minded individuals and organizations working toward changes in how energy is used. ”The most important thing is to face the issue and get started on taking direct and personal action,” he said. “That can mean replacing conventional light bulbs with energy efficient Compact Fluorescent light bulbs, driving less or taking mass transit, and even buying less stuff, eating less meat or buying locally grown food. Once you get going, it can be a lot of fun to figure out how we can do things in an environmentally smart way.”

More proof that teens and ecology really do go together; there are now hundreds of environmental organizations where young people can volunteer, with positions potentially leading to internships and careers. ”Young people have the most to lose if we mess up our planet,” said Raacke. “There is, after all no Planet B for them. Young people instinctively know that there must be a better way for us than polluting our environment, and, indeed, there is. We have a responsibility to show them how we can do that today. Given the urgent need to act on the threat of climate change, we can't afford to wait another decade.”

For more information, go to Do Something at Greenpeace at , Union of Concerned Scientists at , Renewable Energy Long Island at and Step it Up at /