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English filmmaker Abbie Barnes has achieved more at 18 years old to further environmental protections than many people achieve in a lifetime.

English filmmaker Abbie Barnes has achieved more at 18 years old to further environmental protections than many people achieve in a lifetime.

That’s not necessarily a criticism of the average environmentalist but a compliment to the significant projects Abbie has already completed.

It all started at a young age when she questioned why anyone would want to destroy nature to make a profit, according to a video made by the United Nations.

And by the time she was 16, she embarked on her first amateur film project.

This film was about saving the ocean and marine life by presenting viewers with the real problems of plastic and general waste. Not thousands of miles away or in the open ocean, but right on her community’s front doorstep. 

She rallied local volunteers to get involved with large clean-up projects on local beaches, and she documented the actions in her film.

Her second project involved climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to see with her own eyes the effect climate change has had on the glaciers. 

Over 70% of the mountain’s glaciers have disappeared, and she researched and studied the effects that it is having on local wildlife and communities, as well as tourism. 

Her overall message is for people to realize that local actions have global consequences. Wasting water and energy in a small home in England could have severe consequences for people living in low lying coastal areas due to rising sea levels.

She has certainly proven the point that today’s youth can make a big difference to our future. 

Watch the full video from the United Nations below.


Chris is one of GreenCitizen’s writers who has been a long-time advocate of individual responsibility when it comes to the environment. He shares GreenCitizen's passion for making the world a better place every day of the year.

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