As wildfires become more frequent and the effects of climate change become harder to ignore, it can be difficult to feel like one person can make a difference. For young people especially, climate change can feel like an issue that is too large to influence. But creating change doesn’t always mean making a huge individual sacrifice. It can mean using your voice to encourage the people who make decisions to take action.

This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., with Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), a nonpartisan, grassroots organization that works to build political support for effective climate solutions in Congress. CCL brings together people from across the political spectrum and trains volunteers to communicate with elected officials, build relationships, and advocate for climate policy.

During CCL’s 2026 Summer Conference and Lobby Day, volunteers learned about federal climate policies and then met with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill. One of the policies CCL is currently advocating for is bipartisan permitting reform, which could make it easier and faster to build and connect clean energy projects such as transmission lines. 

My biggest takeaway from the experience was that being young doesn’t mean your voice doesn’t matter. You can write to your representatives, attend local government meetings, join an environmental organization, or simply talk with people in your community about climate solutions. CCL specifically encourages young people to lobby elected representatives, participate in grassroots outreach, and use their voices to advocate for climate action.

So, the next time climate change feels too big to tackle, start small: speak out. Contact an elected official about an environmental issue you care about, join a local organization, or encourage your community to support a climate solution. Change happens when enough people decide that their voice matters.

By Leighton Knieriem