Anjali Carter-Rau supports young people to green their existing jobs. This 24 year old co-ordinates Vancouver’s CityHive’s ClimateWorks Lab, training 18-30 year olds to embed climate values in their existing workplaces.
Tell us about your project.
In the Fall of 2024 participants spent two hours one evening a week and two Saturdays listening to guest speakers, integrating their learning and analysing their own workplace's planning to move their institutions towards climate justice. From January to May 2025 they will meet once a month to support each other in implementing their plans.
Participants receive an honorarium for their time, transit passes and meals.
There is no “one size fits all” pathway. A different approach will be needed in a university with its myriad of policies and layers of authority than in a small start-up law firm. Young people working in a for-profit corporation will need different arguments than those in civil society. Participants who work with employers in ecological science will have different opportunities than those who work in the trades or with cities or insurance companies.
Emerging plans include increasing commitment to recycling as an educational lever, empowering community stakeholders to increase support for building resilient neighbourhoods, persuading decision makers to accelerate fleet electrification and advocating for reduced built environment emissions.
Participants are identifying trends, thinking about systems and helping each other with their different perspectives. The biggest benefit is the community of support they built for each other. Climate leadership can be lonely and burnout is endemic. Climate anxiety and grief can be destabilizing. These young people are leaning in to be there for each other.
CityHive has run many previous cohorts for climate leaders with an emphasis on education and planning. This program is piloting support for implementation.
How did you get into this work?
When I was an undergraduate at the University of British Columbia I helped organize some of its staff into a union and supported collective bargaining. I was studying international relations and saw climate change through the lens of injustice to workers especially in the Global South. I wanted to combine my passions for action on climate and workers' rights. I volunteered with the British Columbia Youth Climate Corps as an organizer helping young people to get climate smart work. My mentor there, Abbey Piazza helped me find this work which is a great fit.
What makes it hard?
I constantly ask myself whether this is enough. So do the participants. The crisis is huge and we all want to do the most we can.
What gives you hope?
Watching this group of young people grow into a supportive community and surrounding myself with other young people. We are all there for each other no matter what the trouble of the moment is. We cannot do this alone and we are creating the world we want to live in right now with our networks of solidarity and care.
How did the way you were raised impact where you are today?
My mother works in human rights and she raised me and my three brothers to be conscious of the need to respect the rights of both humans and our environment. My father helped us see the reciprocal relationship we have with nature. My brothers are all activists in different ways. Their teachings landed.
What keeps you awake at night?
It is frustrating and frightening to see apathy in every level of society. Some of it is caused by a feeling of inadequacy. I hope I am helping people show up with all their imperfections rather than waiting until they have better mental health, or the right answer to a problem or a clear pathway to action.
What do you see if we get this right?
We all see ourselves as agents of change and know that change happens faster when we work together to amplify each other’s strengths and compensate for individual challenges.
What would you like to say to other young people?
My dear friend shared some wisdom with me that I would like to pass on. “Move from thoughts to action”. If you are having a hard time, act. Your action might be to reach out to a friend, move your body, or even just cry. If you are just having a bad day, go for a walk. As you move your body, your thoughts can also move. If you are having a harder time over a longer term, share your thoughts in a community of others and support each other to see a bigger picture and take the next steps together. Join a group that is interested in moving movements. Resilience is found together.
What about older readers?
No one should think they have the luxury of apathy or giving up and leaving it to someone else. I like asking other young people what their legacy will be and that question might matter to you. What kind of ancestor will you be?
Anjali Carter-Rau lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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