Climate Matters contest winners: Ask the Children

This is the third post in a series featuring the winners of the Climate Matters video contest [1]. Each post features a video (of course) and a short note from their creators telling us why they entered the contest, their inspirations for their videos, etc.

Barbara Lucas from Northville, Michigan, won second prize for her entry Ask the Children [2]:

Barbara has always looked for ways to make a difference on the environmental issues she cares about. From Barbara:

A few years ago I took a class in digital video production at a community college. I decided that video--with its compelling combination of imagery, music, and words--is the medium that is most effective in really reaching people.

I read about a study which found that concern for future generations is a top motivator in getting people to change their behavior to save the planet (it certainly is my number one motivator, anyway). So I try to include children, whenever possible, in my videos. The conversation with my niece that I used for this video was originally meant for a project about energy conservation. I didn't ask her about global warming, because I didn't want to scare her or put ideas in her head. She brought it up on her own when I asked, "Why should we save energy?". The sincerity of the expression of her fears really gripped me. I felt all the more compelled to do something, anything.

When I asked her parents where she learned so much about climate change, they said they didn't know because they don't talk about it around her. Kids pick up stuff, regardless of how we might try to shield them. I added these words to the video, "Kids know, and they care. They can see what is happening,"

Congratulations again to Barbara for her winning entry. You can view all four winning entries here [1] and the other 12 finalists at the Climate Matters finalists page on Vimeo [3].