She may be in Year 1, but little Ruby from Sydney is educating the world on climate change. As we celebrate the United Nation's International Day of the Girl Child, where we applaud the ambition of young girls, Ruby is making generous efforts to give a voice to those unable to speak; animals, plants and mother nature.
"When I think about our planet and wildlife, I get upset, because I know that the planet is sick and this means that animals are in danger of running out of food and dying," she told .
"I have noticed that many grown-ups don’t seem to care or notice what is happening to our planet but I think maybe they don’t understand how they can help, or maybe they don’t understand the science, because I see them always throwing rubbish everywhere, smoking, using cars and trucks and not recycling."
Ruby has been sharing her thoughts online and has made a big impression on , and . She is now a contributor at Independent Australia, where her Mum works as the Indigenous Affairs Editor.
On social media, Ruby discusses the holes in the ozone, the damage of drilling for oil, animals in danger of being extinct and the excess of cutting down trees. She also shares her tips on how to 'go green' with posts on her gardening and recycling efforts.
"I am only five, but five different animals have been made extinct since she was born," she says in one video titled 5 year old schools us on climate change!
Ruby is an avid reader of environmental newsletters and non-fiction books about wildlife. She is influenced by scientists and researchers such as, Neil deGrasse Tyson and David Suzuki and in particular, she lists Sir David Attenborough as her hero. She says, "Ever since I was a baby Sir David has been teaching me about nature and how to protect it."
As an Indigenous Australian, Ruby says she was taught that plants and trees care for humans, if humans are willing to care for them - if a person talks to a plant, it will eat their carbon dioxide and give you things in return; food, healing or simply oxygen.
In order to save the planet, Ruby is asking people to follow her 'Climate Kid' cause and she will send them one seed to plant a tree.
"We can save the planet together, one plant at a time."
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