Greta offers advice to Congresswoman whose 9-year-old fears climate apocalypse

Porter asked the following:

"I just want to ask you one question: I have a nine-year-old daughter, I have three kids, and I told my nine-year-old daughter that I was going to be speaking with you and I said, 'What do you think about the climate change?' And she said, 'The Earth is on fire and we’re all going to die soon.'"

"And I asked her how that made her feel and she said that it made her feel angry,” Porter continued. “What should I tell my daughter and how should I help her and the youngest generation bear the emotional toll of the actions that we’re taking, fossil fuel companies are taking to destroy our planet?"

Thunberg replied:

"Well, thank you for your question. That’s a big question. I know that there are many young people who feel angry and sad because of all the things that some people are doing to this planet and our futures and to the most affected people … today.

And that’s very understandable. It would be strange if we didn’t feel that way because we wouldn’t have any empathy. But, of course, there is still much hope, and if we choose to take action, then we can do this. There’s unlimited things that we can do, and if we choose to act together, there are no limits to what we can accomplish.

.... The best medication against anger and anxiety is to take action yourself. So, that’s what I would tell her, to take action herself because that will make her feel so much better."

Greta went on to talk about her favorite topic before Congress:

"How long do you honestly believe that people in power like you will get away with it? How long do you think you can continue to ignore the climate crisis, the global aspect of equity and historic emissions without being held accountable?

We, the young people, are the ones who are going to write about you in the history books, we are the ones who get to decide how you will be remembered. So my advice for you is to choose wisely."