Carving A Climate Aware Generation, The Cool It! Initiative
By Joslin Jose, WE-CAN with Avi Dolgin
Cool It! is a Climate Leadership Training Program developed by the BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA). Designed for students from grade 4 and up, the initiative empowers students to understand and take meaningful action on reducing climate change effects. Through collaboration among students, parents, and teachers, the initiative integrates climate science education with practical, hands-on challenges that inspire meaningful climate action. Cool It! has helped reduce over 15,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the dedicated efforts of more than 70,000 students. This story explores the heart of the program and its vision for shaping a climate-aware generation.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”
– Chief Seattle
It is spring in Vancouver. The small village of Kaslo is painted pink and white as the cherry blossoms bloom in full glory. Amanda walks along the little street leading to her home, admiring the blossoms while holding her Pappa Andrew’s arm.
“Ami, don’t gaze up while walking—you might trip and fall,” says Andrew gently.
“Pappa, these flowers are so beautiful,” replies Amanda, still looking up. “Nature is so magical. It blooms and sheds in its own rhythm. Spring is my favorite season, and cherry blossoms are my favorite flowers.”
Seeing Amanda’s joy, Andrew smiles and says, “Do you know, Ami, when we were young, we used to play under the cherry blossom trees during spring? Our street would be filled with pink and white petals. There was a special dragonfly we always looked for—one that lived among the little buds. We used to catch it and tie a thread to its tail. As it soared high, we’d run behind it, just like chasing a kite. Those were the good old days.”
Amanda and Pappa Andrew continue chatting as they walk home.
“Pappa!” Amanda calls out as they arrive. “Can you catch me a dragonfly tomorrow from beneath the cherry blossom tree? I want to play with it, just like you did! Zoor zoor zoor—with its tail!”
“I don’t know if we’ll find one anymore, Ami,” says Andrew softly. “But let’s try tomorrow.”
The next day, on her way home from school, Amanda grabs Pappa Andrew’s hand excitedly.
“Come, Pappa! We need to get the dragonfly. I brought a thread. I even told my best friend Ruth about it!”
Together, they search beneath the cherry blossom trees. Andrew looks carefully, but finds nothing. Amanda’s face shifts between hope and disappointment.
“I’m sorry, Ami,” says a tired and concerned Andrew. “I don’t think those dragonflies are around anymore.”
“But why, Pappa? You used to play with them. Where have they gone?” Amanda asks, puzzled.
Andrew replies, “Ami, as the years pass, the climate changes. Nature shifts with it. That might be why we no longer see those dragonflies. As the Earth heats up, many plants and animals are affected—some species have even gone extinct.”
Amanda is concerned. “Pappa, if climate change continues, will there be a day when there are no cherry blossoms left either?”
———————–
A question that many of us have asked ourselves—or heard from our children.
Just like Amanda, more than 70,000 students across British Columbia have wondered about the impacts of climate change and decided to take action. Through the Cool It! Climate Leadership Training Program, they helped prevent over 15,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions—a powerful reminder that even small actions, when multiplied, can make a meaningful difference.
Started in 2007, the Cool It! initiative is a Climate Leadership Training Program developed by the BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) for youth environmental education. The program facilitates climate education and awareness through collaborative actions involving students, parents, and teachers.
Fergus Kinnaird, Cool It! Program Director, describes the initiative:
“Our program is designed to accommodate the learning capacity and maturity of the students. The elementary program is for students in grades 4 to 7, and our high school program is designed for grades above 7. We have standalone sets of materials, in terms of both content and workshop delivery, to suit the different age groups we cater to.”
The elementary program is structured around a 60-minute workshop led by a Cool It! educator, followed by a four-week take-home climate challenge completed with parental help. It aims to help students measure and reduce their individual carbon emissions by adjusting daily habits like transit and food choices. The top student from each class is recognized for their contribution to the environment.
The high school program focuses on developing cognitive thinking and research skills. Students work on more advanced topics like systems analysis and climate justice during the 4–6 week program, which includes two 60-minute workshops spanning 2 modules. They learn about environmental challenges in Module 1 and practice making informed climate choices in Module 2. The program concludes with a four-week online climate challenge on the platform climatecool.org.
“We work with a wide spectrum of students. Each student’s understanding of climate change differs — some have prior knowledge, while for others, it’s a first-hand learning experience. For students in grades 8 and above, the challenge often lies in overcoming peer pressure and societal expectations. Our program is flexible to meet students’ different needs. We focus on the basics of climate science for elementary students and explore the social and economic impacts of climate change and necessary climate actions with high schoolers,” Fergus explains.
In picture: A Cool it! presenter delivering a workshop
The Cool It! curriculum covers a variety of topics, from the basic science of climate change — including its causes, impacts, and solutions — to complex, interdisciplinary issues such as local climate disasters, indigenous youth climate action case studies, and municipal government participation.
Fergus points out:
“The most challenging age groups to work with are grades 6–8. Students at this age are at the threshold of adolescence. Social dynamics within the classroom, many of which mimic societal hurdles to advocacy in adult-life, can be a barrier for students feeling confident and motivated to participate. Moreover, with growing climate anxiety among students who see the visible effects of climate change around them, many express feelings of helplessness. It is becoming a greater challenge, but also a core focus of our work, to provide students with pathways to action that feel truly impactful and not just limited to classroom exercises.”
As students graduate, they are introduced to environmental groups and organizations they can join or learn more about. Students leave the program better informed and more aware of their future climate goals and how they can contribute by becoming part of environmental communities in their areas. The team continuously updates youth-based resources, including information on specific climate topics and opportunities for involvement.
With the support of teachers, parents, BC schools curriculum, and municipalities in the Lower Mainland, the BCSEA and the Cool It! team are determined to lay the path for a climate-aware generation. They move forward with hope and enthusiasm, nurturing an era of changemakers, leaders, and climate champions — with a shared dream of a little paradise called Earth.
If you are a teacher or know a teacher who wants to get involved please reach out to cool-it@bcsea.org.
Resources for further reading:
