Growing Up in the Grassroots

How do I best facilitate conversations on climate change with people from a different generation — or political background — than my own? In Growing Up in the Grassroots: Finding Unity in Climate Activism Across Generations, Joy Reeves seeks to answer this question and more as she delves into the intergenerational and partisan misunderstandings she witnesses regularly in her environmental science and policy career. This book brings together the stories of people and groups from all walks of life. You'll hear the story of Chlöe Swarbrick, a New Zealand parliamentarian and millennial who challenged older politicians on climate action and inadvertently sparked an online movement. You'll hear from Bob Inglis, a 61-year-old Republican politician and father who radically changed his views on climate change while maintaining his Republican beliefs. You'll even meet “The Raging Grannies,” a troupe of elderly activists across the globe that you may stumble across singing hilarious protest songs...but otherwise defy the “little old lady” stereotype. Even in a world that is polarized by political party and generational differences, there are vast opportunities for older and younger generations to find common ground and move forward collaboratively on climate change. Delve into the history and future of climate activism with Growing Up in the Grassroots.

Joy Reeves is an environmental advocate and climate communicator with a major in Environmental Science and Policy. Trained in science communication as part of a Science & Society Huang Fellowship, she has explored the art of scientific storytelling in several environments, from her experience in climate campaigning, to her research on coastal saltwater intrusion, to her creation of educational environmental content for younger students. Her passions lies in bridging the seemingly vast generational divide that exists within climate activism and exploring the historical foundations of today's movement.

When she is not pondering the "bigger picture" of climate change, Joy enjoys taking long hikes, cartooning, and drinking a healthy amount of kombucha.