In August 2018, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg caught the world’s attention when she campaigned outside the Swedish parliament demanding for stronger governmental action against climate change. Her initiative led to a cascade of environmental protests as students from all around the world followed her lead and started striking for the environment. At only 17 years old, Greta Thunberg has spoken at the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and been listed in Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2019. Her passion and dedication towards protecting the environment show us that age is not a limiting factor and that anything is possible.
“I don’t care about age. Nor do I care about those who do not accept the science. I don’t have as much experience, and therefore I listen more. But I also have the right to express my opinion, no matter my age. Being young is a great advantage, since we see the world from a new perspective and we are not afraid to make radical changes.”
Here is what Greta Thunberg’s daily routine looks like:
- 7:00 AM – Wake up, eat breakfast
- 8:00 AM – Create posters and print out flyers
- 10:00 AM – Work break: Go on a walk
- 11:00 AM – Prepare for speeches and interviews
- 12:30 PM – Lunch break
- 1:30 PM – Work: meet with world leaders, go on talk shows
- 3:00 PM – Post on Social Media
- 4:00 PM – Walk the dogs
- 5:30PM – Family dinner
- 7:00 PM – Hangout with family and dogs
- 9:00 PM – Read magazines and books
- 10:00 PM – Bedtime
Diet
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg has adopted veganism in hopes to fight against climate change. She encourages her family and friends to also become vegan to reduce the environmental impact of the meat industry. For her daily meals, she eats healthy and balanced vegan dishes.
“I am a vegan. I don’t eat animal products. I don’t use any animal products because of ethical, environmental and climate reasons.”
Work
All of Greta’s work as an environmental activist is not profit-driven and is solely based on her passion for saving our planet. She creates her own flyers, speeches, and social media posts without a PR team backing her. Greta has gone on many popular talk shows including the Ellen Show and The Daily Show to speak about her incredible journey and advocate for ways to save the environment.
In addition to giving speeches at environmental conferences and leading massive strikes, Greta also meets with multiple world leaders who have been inspired by her work. She has met with leaders such as Obama, Malala Yousafzai, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
On Fridays, Greta Thunberg participates in the #FridaysForFuture, a movement she started after striking for climate change in front of the Swedish parliament. She joins thousands of student strikers from all around the world to demand for a more sustainable future. Even when she is traveling to different countries to give speeches or attend conferences, she continues to strike at wherever she is every Friday. She does this in order to show her unwavering commitment towards saving the environment.
“We have gathered today because we have chosen which path we want to take, and now we are waiting for the others to follow our example. We will never stop fighting for this planet, for our futures, and for the futures of our children and grandchildren.”
Family Time
Greta loves and values her time with her family who have been incredibly supportive of her work since the beginning. Her dad has accompanied her in all her travels around the world, including going on a two-week voyage across the Atlantic on a yacht to the New York Climate Action Summit. The unconditional support from her family has helped Greta battle her past struggle with depression and manage her Asperger’s syndrome, OCD, and selective mutism. Her parents have also become vegan and more environmentally friendly in their day-to-day routine to support their daughter.
“I did all these things, I knew they were the right thing to do… but I didn’t do it to save the climate, I did it to save my child” – Mr. Thunberg
Downtime
For downtime, Greta prefers quieter nights at home reading her favorite books over large social gatherings. Environmental youth advocate Marie-Claire Graf who has met Greta several times through events has said that Greta would rather go home to rest than celebrate at a bar after a long day of campaigning.