To the editor:

Young people are speaking out. The May 31 article about Hannah Cutler, the Hyla School eighth-grader who won the World Affairs Council’s essay contest on climate change, was a heartening story.

Congratulations to this student, her teacher and the World Affairs Council.

As the urgency of climate chaos builds, more and more people are getting involved. And the young, who stand to lose so much of their future well-being, are showing such courage to act.

Greta Thunberg, the 16 year old Swedish student who began a worldwide student walkout campaign by simply staying out of school herself, holding a sign as to why. And now the world is watching.

The Extinction Rebellion is ramping up direct action, calling for the real urgency we need. And Our Children’s Trust is bringing lawsuits against federal and state governments because the governments knew the climate threats but have not acted with sufficient strength to protect the children’s futures.

I feel momentum and it feels good. I have a new grandchild, born just last week. I want this momentum to build in powerful, expansive, life-affirming ways so that he and all the young people of the world have a world that thrives on clean, safe energy.

Our contest winner from Bainbridge Island shares that vision. For my part? I head to the other Washington this weekend to lobby for a carbon fee and dividend, to trigger that clean energy economy.

Let’s all work, young and old, to make a livable future happen.

BOBBIE MORGAN

Bainbridge Island