This past weekend the Expedition Copenhagen delegates met for just the second time to prepare for our upcoming journey to the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark this December. What follows are some of the insights I gathered throughout this weekend about the amazing individuals that make up this delegation. But more importantly, these are just a few highlights of why youth are of key importance when developing solutions to climate change.

As youth, we are...

1. Passionate, creative and inspiring! What do you get when you put 12 young people in a room and ask them to come up with solutions to some of the world's problems? BIG, comprehensive and exciting ideas that flow out of our passionate hearts and into our creative veins. They inspire a desire for positive change and invoke action.
2. Intelligent beyond belief! Passion leads to a craving for knowledge and a drive to learn as much as possible. That is why each delegate that is part of Expedition Copenhagen is focusing on a specific policy area, so that we can be experts when we make our way over to the negotiations. And that makes the 12 of us one extremely intelligent delegation!
3. Determined to make a difference in our communities- and beyond! Each delegate was selected for many reasons, but having a deep commitment to our communities was key. This fall each delegate is giving presentations at schools to engage more youth in our states in the discussion about climate change solutions. Check out the awesome curriculum that the Will Steger Foundation created to help teachers prepare their students to be knowledgeable leaders in their communities.
4. Organizing Fanatics! Youth love to get people together to have a good time while making a difference. This fall Expedition Copenhagen delegates will join thousands of youth from around the world to plan events for the 350.org International Day of Climate Action on October 24th. There are already 117 countries participating in this awesome event- just check out the event map! Get involved in an event planned in your community- or start organizing your own!
5. Fun, fantastic and full of energy! Needless to say young people have a lot of energy- and right now we are putting it to good use. But we also love to have a good time and make each other laugh. As E.E. Cummings once said, "the most wasted of all days is one without laughter."

The youth in this delegation are working hard to get our federal government to pass a strong and comprehensive climate change bill before we head out to the negotiations. We are bringing the youth voice, and more specifically the Midwestern youth voice, to Copenhagen to ensure that there is bold, binding and just protocol coming out of the negotiations. And we want you to join us! Follow our blogs, sign up for presentations and plan an event for October 24th.

See you out there climate champions!