In the heart of Napa Valley, where nature’s beauty is both our livelihood and legacy, encouraging environmental action among youth is more important than ever. As climate change accelerates, many well-meaning campaigns aimed at teenagers lean heavily on fear: dire predictions, vanishing species, and wildfire threats. But while the climate crisis is urgent, research and local experience show that positive reinforcement (not fear) leads to deeper, lasting engagement from today’s youth.
At schools like Napa High and Vintage High, students are already showing an interest in sustainability, but the way we nurture that momentum matters. Fear-based messages can easily overwhelm teenagers, who are already navigating academic pressure, social stress and an uncertain future. More…
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