🌍 From Brooklyn to the Caribbean: The Environment, Our Children, and the Urgency of Now
Growing up in the 90's in the Caribbean, Captain Planet and the Planeteers wasn’t just Saturday morning entertainment, it was a call to action. The show taught us that “the power is yours,” a powerful reminder that individuals, communities, and especially young people can be agents of environmental change.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand how those animated lessons would shape my future. But now, with years of experience in child protection and a Master’s in Energy and Environmental Management, I see clearly that protecting the environment is protecting our children.
🧾 Lessons from Brooklyn
During my practicum in Brooklyn, I examined the intersection of environmental degradation and child protection. What became evident was those environmental factors such as pollution, lack of green spaces, and exposure to climate-related disasters, don’t just harm ecosystems; they harm children’s safety, health, and long-term development.
These realities, while deeply present in urban America, are magnified in developing regions like the Caribbean.
🧒🏾 Environmental Impacts on Children: A Closer Look
🫁 Air Pollution & Asthma
One of the most urgent health threats facing children today is asthma, especially in communities near highways, industrial zones, or where open burning and fossil fuels are common.
In Brooklyn, I saw how poor air quality exacerbated asthma cases among children, especially in low-income, underserved communities. The same is true in the Caribbean, where:
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Trash burning and diesel fumes affect air quality.
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Saharan dust, carried seasonally across the Atlantic, worsens respiratory health.
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Humid conditions and mold exposure from storm-damaged homes trigger asthma attacks.
Children with asthma often miss school, struggle with physical activity, and live in fear of the next attack—something no child should have to endure.
🥗 Food Security & Nutrition
In both Brooklyn and the Caribbean, climate change is disrupting food systems. Rising temperatures, droughts, and extreme weather are reducing crop yields and increasing reliance on expensive imports.
For children, this can mean:
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Malnutrition or skipped meals
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Poor concentration and performance in school
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Long-term health challenges like anemia or obesity
🌪️ Natural Disasters & Emotional Trauma
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of hurricanes, floods, and landslides—events that destabilize entire communities. Children are the most vulnerable during these times:
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Schools double as shelters, interrupting education.
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Family income is lost when homes and crops are destroyed.
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Displacement can lead to emotional trauma and heightened risks of neglect or abuse.
🏖️ Tourism and Environmental Strain
The Caribbean’s economic dependence on tourism also puts stress on natural resources. Hotels and resorts often overuse water, pollute coastal zones, and contribute to environmental degradation.
Children pay the price when:
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Clean drinking water becomes scarce.
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Beaches and green spaces are eroded or privatized.
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Local economies collapse due to climate-related tourism downturns.
💡 Climate Justice Is Child Protection
To truly protect children in the Caribbean, we must address climate change as a root cause of vulnerability. We need:
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Climate-resilient infrastructure in schools and homes
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Sustainable agriculture that ensures food for all
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Disaster preparedness tailored to children’s needs
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Environmental policies that tackle air quality and respiratory health
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Climate strategies that center youth voices and leadership
Leaders like Prime Minister Mia Mottley are pushing these conversations forward on the global stage. But the movement must grow—from policymakers to parents to educators and environmental advocates.
✍🏾 What’s Next
This week, Green Caribbean Chronicles takes a step back from leadership profiles to focus on what is most important: our children.
In the coming weeks, we’ll explore how environmental resilience, policy reform, and community action can work together to protect the region’s youngest and most vulnerable.
As Captain Planet said:
“The power is yours!” 💫
Let’s use it—wisely, urgently, and with the next generation in mind.
With purpose,
Z. Charles
Founder, Green Caribbean Chronicles
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