Down to Earth

Down to Earth (2009) is an anthology of creative writing on the subjects of climate change and environmental devastation. The collection contains poems, short fiction and nonfiction pieces, and plays written by high school students. Edited by Michael Ernest Sweet, Down to Earth is part of the celebrated Learning for a Cause project at Lester B. Pearson High School in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The book also includes an introduction by environmentalist and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a foreword by the first Canadian woman in space, Roberta Bondar.

For as many students that contributed writing to Down to Earth, there are that many different lenses through which climate change is explored. Some look at the shifts and anomalies, both subtle and extreme, that are already noticeable as a result of ecological destruction. Others imagine the bleak future that awaits by not addressing this issue in a timely and effective manner. Others muse on the lessening numbers and potential extinction of various plant and animal life impacted by alterations in the climate. Still others consider the very real toll such changes will have on society, civilization, and individuals. Down to Earth gives a clear and crucial voice to the people whom the climate crisis will affect the most: children.

In her foreword, Bondar uses her experiences as an astronaut to underscore the vital importance of this subject. As one of the rare few who has had the opportunity to see Earth from the ground and from space, Bondar discusses her appreciation for and interest in the forces that shape the planet and our understanding of it. She says that what is happening in the Arctic—rising temperatures, declining sea ice, the thawing of permafrost—is essentially a "canary in a coal mine." The effects of what is occurring in that region serve as a warning of what will happen to the rest of the world when larger-scale changes take hold. Bondar's words amplify the chorus of voices in Down to Earth, insisting on prompt action, proactive leadership, and global awareness and effort.



Trudeau's introduction empowers young people—those who contributed pieces to the book, those reading the book, and those who have not yet discovered the book—to be leaders in the climate movement. He expresses his frustration with children being labeled "leaders of tomorrow" by politicians, educators, and the media. "You are, in reality, leaders of today," Trudeau writes. His words are a call-to-action, urging today's youth to fight the good (climate) fight by advocating for change and bringing the issue to their friends, family members, schools, and communities. To handle this crisis with any urgency or care, young people are going to be one of the biggest champions of the cause. That, Trudeau writes, is evident in the "bold vision," "thirst for change," and "clear voice[s]" presented in Down to Earth.

The anthology starts off with the poem "Wild Sunset" by Kayla Simeone. She talks about the shrouding of the earth in darkness as the sun sets while recognizing that nature is nonetheless still there, inside her, and inside every living thing. It is an optimistic piece that celebrates the seeming constancy of the natural world until, in the final lines, Simeone questions that constancy with just a few words. Nature has "gone now – to bed/ to wake again tomorrow/ Hopefully.” Hopefully. All the possible climate consequences speak in her hesitation, setting the stage for the rest of the pieces in this volume.

The authors of this collection do not shy away from tackling the reasons why meaningful climate action has been lackluster thus far. In the poem "Beautiful Beach," Anthony Katsulis writes about "a beautiful place destroyed for people to get rich." Andria Lepore's poem "Oxygenators" laments the chopping down of forests for "books, newspapers and magazines –/ I ask myself,/ which is more important/ oxygen or paper?" In his poem "Flick Off!", Anthony Perrozzi is much more direct, imagining a future with "all these building aglow,/ despite what we already know."



In a short play, one young author envisions a dialog between the hormone Melatonin and the protein Antibody, two naturally-occurring substances in the human body. These two substances decry light pollution, which is affecting their ability to effectively do their jobs and take care of their human, Susie. With the abundance of unnatural light flooding Susie's—and everyone's—systems, Melatonin worries that his and Antibody's best efforts won't be enough to protect their host body.

One of the collection's nonfiction pieces is an open letter from student Michael McDonald to his neighbors—neighbors in the neighborhood, yes, but all neighbors all around the world, too. He begs them to stop spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on cars and to invest that money in the environment instead. By purchasing a hybrid vehicle, McDonald suggests, one little decision, one small change in thinking, can have larger, more beneficial ripple effects.

Among the other topics examined in Down to Earth are the Great Barrier Reef, the impact of air travel, the railroading of nature that comes with endless modernization, and the delicate interconnectedness of all life.



Sweet closes the volume with an afterword in which he talks about the role of educators in shaping the future of climate action. He writes that so much environmental conversation is devoid of emotion, but emotion actually plays a valuable role in spurring people to action. He encourages educators and students alike to use their emotions in the service of a greater good: "to embrace our natural world" and make "it healthier and greener, more just and beneficent—simply better."