UCLA alumni and environmentalists Judith Love Cohen and Robyn Friend stand in front of an audience and describe carbon capture, geological storage and methods to decrease carbon footprints. Their listeners, however, are not scientists or even college students but instead range from 9 to 12 years old.
Cohen and Friend, co-authors of “A Clean Sky: The Global Warming Story,” are visiting bookstores, schools and libraries statewide to promote their recently published children’s book on a topic usually directed toward adults.
Inspired by Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” Cohen and Friend decided to direct the situation to a younger demographic.
Published by Cascade Pass Inc. as the second book in the environmental series, the book localizes the global issue by emphasizing the control children can have over the future of global warming.
By highlighting simple solutions, such as using energy-efficient lights and recycling, Cohen and Friend hope to familiarize kids with the situation.
After editing the first book of the environmental series, “A Clean Sea: The Rachel Carson Story,” Cohen noted the importance of educating future generations about environmental issues.
“We started realizing that children should be involved with the environment because they are going to be living in it, and they should have a say in how it’s being polluted,” she said.
Friend also recognizes that children are most impressionable at a young age.
“Research indicates that the best time to inspire children and influence them in their choice of study and career is around age 9 or 10,” she said. “If we can get them excited about science at that age, we have a good chance of channeling their interests and studies toward careers in science and engineering, where they can have a great opportunity to better their world.”
Cohen and Friend, however, did run into some obstacles in getting their environmental message out to children. They found it difficult at first to write in such a tone that would be easily understood by younger readers. David Katz, Cohen’s husband and the illustrator of “A Clean Sky,” was a substitute teacher to children and helped the authors simplify the scientific components of the story.
“He would read it to his 9-year-old students. If they had a hard time (understanding the language), I would rewrite it,” Cohen said.
Cohen herself has witnessed the changes that knowledge of the global warming trend can inspire in individuals. Cohen did not actively pursue the subject while earning her master’s degree in the Engineering Executive Program at UCLA in 1982, but now, as global warming becomes more prevalent, the issue constantly affects her actions.
“I have these bags from Gelson’s to avoid using new plastic or paper bags,” she said. “I am always thinking how I can reuse things again rather than throwing them away.”
Environmentalists within the UCLA community respect the efforts Cohen and Friend have invested in global warming education. Atmospheric and oceanic science Professor Suzanne Paulson said, “I hope that together, with many other educational tools, we will influence the future generation to tackle the problem. It’s the issue of their generation and everybody who is alive today.”
Coreen Weintraub, a second-year undeclared student, vice chair of CALPIRG and coordinator of Campus Climate Challenge, feels that “A Clean Sky” provides a great opportunity to spread an important message.
“I hope that this encourages the future generation to take action,” Weintraub said.
“I haven’t done work with younger students or kids, but I feel like the book is a great way to educate the younger generation about global warming, which is an issue that they will have to face.”
Although the book was written for children, Friend feels that it contains important information that can educate people of all ages, including UCLA students. In fact, “A Clean Sky” is now being sold at the UCLA Store.
Weintraub agrees with Friend’s efforts to spread the issue to people of all ages and demographics.
“This is our fight, and we need to be the ones to fight global warming here on campus right now,” she said.