Minnesota Teens Are Fighting Climate Anxiety With Shovels

Early on a Saturday morning in Minnesota, a group of teenagers gathered at the edge of six acres of wooded, hilly land. Most were quiet, some blinking against the sun. They were robotics enthusiasts, aspiring marine scientists, artists, athletes and Scouts.

What they shared was a desire for hands-on conservation work, a meaningful response for many of them to their worries about climate change.

“Cool,” said Sophia Peterson, the group’s 18-year-old leader, who faced the crowd with a grin. “Let’s get started.”

50 States, 50 Fixes is a series about local solutions to environmental problems. More to come this year.

The students were organized by the Green Crew, an environmental group founded by a teenager in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro area. The organization seeks to help a generation that has grown up under the threat of climate change channel their fears into concrete action.