Colleen's Summer Plan by Friend and Physicist Steve Crandall

The scientific debate is settled.  We humans have a major role in the
increase in average global temperature and the consequences of the
potential rapid change through the rest of the century are not
cheery.  We have to do something about it if we care about our
children, their children and their grandchildren.  The first steps are
convincing people there is a problem and that there are things they
can do to make a difference.

AVP professional beach volleyball player Colleen Smith is hard at work
convincing people that climate change is not something we can
ignore . Waiting for technology alone to save the day is too risky.
She reasons we need to embrace the idea of change and start making
changes where we can.  The journey is worthwhile and we may even
become better people for it.  But there are people who need to understand
this and share her passion.

Her strategy is to engage people and get them thinking on their own
about what they can do.  People have to stay positive or they may give
up.

Colleen is a tall, powerful and passionate young woman who gets
attention when she is at her beach “office” training or playing.  The
beach is something that will change as sea level increases and this
gave her an idea.  She wears tattoos at heights where scientists think
sea levels may be in the future.  People are naturally curious about
these marks and conversations begin:  Conversations with these props
give people a visual sense of what is at stake. 

They see, they hear, and they remember.

Young people, particularly youngsters, are fascinated by this strong
woman and Colleen explains that they should not see this as a
frightening future that is out of their hands. It is not something to
fear and retreat from, but rather something where we - where they -
can change the outcome.  We need to attack it with the energy that she
attacks a volleyball.

As she talks to the children, she gives them suggestions of positive
steps they can take and encourages them to spread the word to their
family and friends.  They can help their parents make the right
choices when important decisions are made.   She tells them there is
no magic solution, but rather many smaller actions that can and must
be done. There is no silver bullet, but there is silver buckshot.

Comments

[Suzi Lorraine]

Keep up the great work Colleen! You're a source of inspiration and a great role model for today's youth. I wish you all the best.

[Stephen Nunes]

This is great to see! I wish you all the best with your work!!