Greetings, everyone! Long time, no chat.
Are you a youth (ages 15-29) with a passion for sustainability and writing? Do you have a sustainability story or idea you want to share? If you said yes, I have an exciting opportunity for you. As the next chapter of Clear the Air, I am opening up the platform to guest contributions. It’s time to submit your sustainability story.
The decision to grow the conversation on CTA is for a few reasons. First, as you can tell from my sporadic and distanced posts, I am busy. I do a lot on top of school and work. But I still want Clear the Air to be an active platform where you can learn about sustainability topics and be inspired to act. I can’t do this alone.
Second, I am getting old. I’m still a youth of course (I’m 23) but my perspective has shifted a lot since I started this platform when I was 17. I feel a whole world away from the 17-year-olds of today. I can’t describe the experiences of all youth in the sustainability realm. Especially as I wrap up my Master’s in 2023 and move into the full-time working world, I am closing a chapter of my life (i.e., school) that has been a key connector between me and the “youth” world since I started preschool. I also recognize that it is difficult for youth to gain legitimacy on information platforms. By inviting you to share your story on Clear the Air, we can reinforce my goal of making the platform relevant and accessible to all youth.
Finally and relatedly, I have a lot of privilege that limits my perspective no matter how I try to deconstruct the barriers it creates. I am white, middle-class, and able-bodied. I am well educated. There are certain sustainability challenges and inequities that I will never fully understand or be able to address. I still think they are important to address, though. Bringing new perspectives onto the platform will allow individuals of diverse backgrounds to share their experiences better than I ever could.
Writing a submission: the basics
To submit, please fill out this Google Form. Include your submission in the Text section, and attach it as a PDF/Word document.
You can write about anything, as long as it’s somewhat related to environmental, economic, social, and/or cultural dimensions of sustainability. Submissions should be 500-750 words long. There’s no formal structure, but it’s always a good idea to start with a strong hook (an impactful statement or fact), followed by the body with clear arguments and evidence, and closing with a conclusion that includes calls to action and additional references/resources, if any. No previous journalism experience is necessary, but please submit articles with minimal/no grammatical mistakes. I will be reviewing the articles myself and making small corrections if needed.
If you reference any facts or include images that you did not create yourself, please make sure to cite them (you can just include them as a hyperlink, like this). You don’t need a reference list unless you want to practice academic writing.
Please do not submit anything that promotes hate speech of any kind. Articles that promote false information will not be accepted. If there are points that are unclear or misleading, I may ask you to revise and resubmit.
In the Google Form, you will see a section asking for your preferred name, pronouns, and a headshot. You do not have to submit any of this information if you do not feel inclined or comfortable doing so. I can make the posts anonymous, as well. However, I want to give you all the credit that you deserve.
Here are some examples of blog posts appearing on Clear the Air before:
- What is food insecurity?
- What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
- What is a circular economy?
- Five ways to manage eco-anxiety
When can I start submitting?
You can start submitting right now! Depending on how many articles are submitted, how often, and how busy I am, I will try to get them on the site in a timely manner (within a week or two). You can submit as many articles as you like.
Can I promote my post once published?
Absolutely! Please feel free to promote on any platforms you see fit. That said, do not copy + paste the post elsewhere (like for an assignment). That can be considered plagiarism, even if it’s your own writing. Please do not submit an article you have written elsewhere, as well; I don’t want to get in trouble, either.
Questions?
Feel free to send any questions through my question form, or send me a message on LinkedIn.
Do you know a youth who would be perfect for this opportunity? Share it with them! The more voices we can showcase on the platform, the better.