Climate Action Figures

John Whidden

A safe place for youth to share steps they are taking to mitigate climate change.

  1. 5d ago

    Season 4, Episode 4: Camille

    Host John Whidden introduces young guest Camille on Climate Action Figures and shares a “Quick Fix” from Glenda about recycling crushed ceramic toilets as road filler in Germany. Camille discusses her family garden, favorite crops, and a sweet potato sprout experiment, and says she hopes to become a fruit and vegetable farmer (and possibly work in food or photography). Heading into grade seven, she’s excited about school options like foods (using a school garden), outdoors learning in a forest classroom, an eco club, and a science course on climate change. She bikes or walks to school via a supervised “bike bus,” notes her family composts, and mentions turning off her dad’s unused lights. Camille explains eco-anxiety, worries most about greenhouse gases driving warming and impacts like melting ice and flooding, and believes raising awareness is key. Her climate action is carpooling to soccer, and she finds hope in many small environmental actions and community efforts. 00:00 Welcome To The Show 00:27 Quick Fix Toilet Recycling 01:14 Camille Loves Gardening 01:49 Sweet Potato Sprout Experiment 03:08 Future Farmer Dreams 03:56 Food And Photo Careers 04:26 New School New Opportunities 05:46 Outdoor Classroom And Eco Club 07:03 Biking To School Bike Bus 08:26 Family Habits And Climate Talk 09:53 Eco Anxiety And Worries 12:11 Climate Awareness Across Ages 14:03 Inspiration And Spreading Awareness 15:23 Climate Action Carpooling 16:00 Hope And Farewell climateactionfigures@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/ https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

  2. 5d ago

    Season 4, Episode 3: Teja

    Host John Whidden interviews 16-year-old Teja from Hyderabad, India, after a Quick Fix from Vaibhav about the mental-health benefits of spending time with soil. Teja says climate change isn’t widely discussed in Hyderabad, though youth involvement is growing through efforts like the Center for Green Revolution, and he describes worsening heat and heatstroke since 2016. He explains founding his youth-led nonprofit Climateyc (Youth Collaborative) to research climate change, run accessible events, and support projects such as “smog to soil” and portable direct air capture with mentorship sought from IIT Hyderabad. Teja recounts attending COP30 as a 14-year-old student delegate via earlier projects like gray water recycling, notes Indian youth often lack funding compared to other countries, and encourages networking through social media and local events. He shares personal actions—stopping red meat and building a terrace garden—and says youth engagement gives him hope. 00:00 Welcome Teja 00:27 Quick Fix Soil Therapy 01:45 Hyderabad Climate Reality 03:05 Launching Climateyc 03:52 Smog to Soil Project 04:18 Why Youth Collaborative 05:17 COP30 Inspiration 06:07 Funding Barriers for Youth 07:25 Lessons From COP30 09:12 Networking Tips for Youth 10:46 Direct Air Capture Work 11:27 Tech as Climate Solution 12:30 Developing Country Mindset 14:18 Personal Climate Actions 14:41 Hope and Farewell climateactionfigures@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/ https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

  3. Oct 13

    Season 4, Episode 2: Ben

    Host John Whidden welcomes Ben to Climate Action Figures and shares a Quick Fix from Linda advising bamboo and compostable partyware, noting composting challenges without proper bins. Ben describes Edmonton’s Paths for People, which advocates for walking, rolling, and cycling through city council engagement and community events featuring guests like YouTuber CityNerd and author Anna Zivarts, with a key takeaway that about a third of people don’t drive. They discuss tensions and compromises between car and active transportation, Ben’s reasons for biking (enjoyment, cost, environment, parking), and concerns about potential provincial legislation reducing bike lanes and related safety risks. Ben explains the Missing Links campaign crowdsourcing gaps in crossings, sidewalks, and bike infrastructure. He’s starting a master’s in urban and regional planning at the University of Alberta, is a triathlete, and his climate action is driving less by biking or taking transit; his hope comes from more friends starting to bike commute. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:25 Quick Fix Compostables 01:17 Meet Paths for People 01:58 Community Events Highlights 02:34 Who Cities Leave Behind 03:11 Cars Versus Bike Lanes 04:17 Why Ben Bikes 05:32 Province Threatens Bike Lanes 07:06 Missing Links Campaign 08:01 Masters in Urban Planning 09:23 Triathlon Side Quest 10:17 Ben's Climate Action 11:09 Hope and Farewell climateactionfigures@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/ https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

  4. Oct 6

    Season 4, Episode1: Brittney

    In the season four premiere of Climate Action Figures, host John Whidden introduces guest Brittney and shares a “Quick Fix” from Genevieve in Medicine Hat: building “bug snugs,” tripod shelters filled with dried organic material for insects to overwinter. Brittney discusses her master’s research in the Bow Valley, funded in part by the Biosphere Institute, using interviews, walk-and-talks, and a photo-voice gathering to explore young adults’ work toward socioecological justice, and notes the Biosphere’s $1,000 youth microgrant. She recounts being named one of Canada’s top 75 youth environmental change-makers at the Starfish Changemaker Summit in Squamish, emphasizing climate justice, burnout prevention, and Indigenous land-based learning. Brittney then describes her documentary/honours thesis on the Crowsnest Pass coal fight, arguing people act to defend identity and love of place—especially clean water from the Eastern Slopes—while outlining Y2Y’s wildlife-corridor work and her hope to release the film in 2027. 00:00 Season Four Kickoff 00:34 Quick Fix Bug Snugs 02:11 Biosphere Research Project 03:39 Starfish Changemaker Summit 05:33 Indigenous Learning On Land 06:17 Coal Fight Documentary 08:47 Identity Drives Action 10:10 Eastern Slopes Water Stakes 12:09 Love Fear And Grief 17:16 Film Release Plans 18:41 What Y2Y Does 21:05 Her Climate Action Today 22:28 What Gives Her Hope 24:23 Closing And Call To Share climateactionfigures@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/ https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

  5. Jun 23

    Season 3, Episode 28: Kayla

    In the season three finale of Climate Action Figures, host John Whidden welcomes back creative consultant Kayla, shares a Quick Fix from Linda in Rochon Sands about swapping chemical cleaners for vinegar and baking soda, and demonstrates homemade/refillable cleaning solutions. Kayla discusses an upcoming two-month trip to Japan, South Korea, and China and admiration for strong recycling and anti-littering cultures. John recounts attending the KEPA (Kainai Ecological Protection Agency) cross-cultural First Nations gathering and observing a tipi ceremony. They reflect on standout season three episodes, highlighting Piikani Nation guests, soil and agriculture conversations, returning guest Aryan, and Indigenous stewardship from multiple continents, and invite an Antarctica guest to reach all continents. John confirms season four will launch in the fall and mentions Cluck’s summer adventure. Kayla’s climate action focuses on sustainable travel (fewer flights, trains, packing light, filtration bottles, eco-tours), and her hope comes from Braiding Sweetgrass and the idea humans can positively impact the environment. 00:00 Welcome and Quick Fix 01:04 DIY Natural Cleaners 02:06 Refill and Reuse Tips 02:43 Kayla Travel Plans 04:34 KEPA Conference Highlights 06:19 Season Three Favourites 09:45 Global Guests and Continents 12:43 More Standout Episodes 15:55 Season Four Tease 18:22 Sustainable Travel Actions 21:51 What Gives Hope 23:39 Final Thanks and Sign off climateactionfigures@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/ https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

  6. Jun 16

    Season 3, Episode 27: Abhay

    Host John Whidden welcomes Abhay to Climate Action Figures, beginning with Sophia’s Quick Fix on guerrilla gardening using indigenous plants. Abhay, a CBC What on Earth contributor on climate change and mental health, describes how a Students on Ice expedition to the Arctic and Greenland shaped his understanding of climate impacts, Inuit mental health challenges, and climate justice tied to colonialism. He explains how that experience led to founding Break the Divide, which began as high school video-call exchanges with northern youth and expanded into international connections, an art competition, and curriculum-based programming with mental health practitioners. Break the Divide now runs workshops and a Climate Education and Resilience program, training young facilitators and scaling across the prairies in September 2026. Abhay discusses naming climate emotions, building community, taking realistic local action, bikes in Regina, and finds hope in community across generations. 00:00 Welcome and Intro 00:31 Quick Fix Gardening 01:02 Meet Abhay 01:27 EcoStressSask Connections 02:42 CBC Column Origin 04:24 Arctic Trip Roots 06:34 Climate Anxiety North 08:33 Break the Divide Begins 12:07 Program Growth Worldwide 15:11 How to Get Involved 16:50 Naming Climate Emotions 19:18 Turning Feelings to Action 22:14 Small Actions Matter 24:00 Rebuilding Youth Connection 25:31 Personal Action Biking 26:25 Hope and Wrap Up https://ecostresssask.ca/ https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-429-what-on-earth/clip/16215089-how-kids-save-climate-anxiety https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/audio/1.7032612 https://soifoundation.org/en/ https://breakthedivide.net/ climateactionfigures@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/ https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

  7. Jun 2

    Season 3, Episode 26: Prasiddhi

    Host John Whidden welcomes 13-year-old Indian environmentalist Prasiddhi, founder of Prasiddhi Forest Foundation, who has planted 200,000 trees toward a goal of 10 million and built a global following to spread hopeful, action-focused climate messaging. She describes starting after the 2016 Varadhah Cyclone in Tamil Nadu, learning fundraising, creating a seed-collecting “kids army,” and growing a nursery capable of 30,000 saplings. Prasiddhi discusses attending UN COP conferences (including COP29), her UN-accredited NGO’s work helping youth attend, and her two illustrated books—"Prasiddhi’s Amazon Rainforest Adventure" and "Prasiddhi’s Great Barrier Reef Adventure"—which each fund one planted tree per purchase. She argues for balancing reality, hope, and responsibility, redefining success beyond GDP, and showcases her green career-matching tool, greenbuzzai.com. 00:00 Welcome and QuickFix 01:05 Meet Prasiddhi and Mission 02:00 Passion School and Balance 03:07 Family Support and Social 04:31 Early Planting Journey 07:16 Cyclone Spark and 100K 09:39 COP Connections and Youth 11:01 Books That Plant Trees 14:17 Hope Reality Responsibility 16:50 Redefining Success and AI 19:54 Seeing Through Child Eyes 22:29 Countries Doing It Right 25:12 Future Purpose and Values 26:56 Climate Action Believe You 28:30 Hopeful Inspirations Closing https://prasiddhiforest.org/ https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=prasiddhi&crid=668OLOP0VJDH&sprefix=prasiddhi%2Caps%2C138&ref=nb_sb_noss https://greenbuzzai.com/ https://thegreenpillar.com/books/ climateactionfigures@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/ https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

  8. May 19

    Season 3, Episode 25 Sophia

    Host John Whidden introduces a QuickFix from Janice in Calgary encouraging “no mow May” to protect invertebrates, then interviews Sophia, a third-year environmental engineering student focused on drinking water and microplastics. Sophia recommends boiling or filtering water and explains concerns about bottled water, including plastic-related endocrine disruptors and potential bacterial biofilms. She describes her microplastics research on how particle shape affects settling and treatment, noting flat plastics may slip through systems. Sophia also shares her youth transit advocacy, inspired by childhood mobility barriers, which helped make transit free for youth under 13 in Regina and expanded nationally. She discusses involving youth through leadership opportunities and funding strategies, reflects on awards and positivity in climate work, shares her own low-car lifestyle, and outlines steps for better, safer, more frequent transit systems. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:27 QuickFix No Mow May 01:25 Meet Sophia 02:03 Drinking Water Tips 03:49 Microplastics Explained 05:55 Reducing Plastic Pollution 07:27 Youth Transit Advocacy 10:41 Scaling Youth Climate Action 13:17 Awards and TEDx Impact 14:47 Staying Hopeful 15:46 Car Free Climate Action 16:10 Building Better Transit 19:01 Hope and Farewellhttps://video.igem.org/w/8QuTT9pE784FakJrccZLYB https://chem-eng.utoronto.ca/news/igem-toronto-engineering-biology-for-global-impact/ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UPUWBpSS7po https://www.fesplanet.org/ https://www.poparide.com/en-ca/ climateactionfigures@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/ https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures

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About

A safe place for youth to share steps they are taking to mitigate climate change.

Information

  • Creator
    John Whidden
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    86
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Climate Action Figures
  • Show Website
    Climate Action Figures