How should we approach the climate crisis? It’s worth taking a page out of 19-year-old Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg’s book – she’s setting the precedent for bringing a much-needed sense of urgency to how we need to act if we are to save the Earth.
Click start to play today’s Crossword, where you’ll find Thunberg in one of the clues.
Here are some fast facts to introduce you to the Nobel Peace Prize nominee:
1. She started with a strike
Inspired by a school class walk-out in Florida, US, in protest of gun laws there, Thunberg thought it was an effective way to get lawmakers’ attention. So, she did it too, for a different cause – to raise attention for the climate crisis. Thunberg missed around three weeks of school, until she finally got the attention of the Swedish Parliament, and then the world.
2. She is dealing with Asperger’s Syndrome
Rather than viewing it as an obstacle, Thunberg is known to view her neurodevelopmental disorder as an advantage. For instance, Asperger’s Syndrome is characterised by repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. Thunberg channels it into focusing on climate studies, which then spurs on her activism.
3. She doesn’t fly
Thunberg refuses to fly by aeroplane. It took her 32 hours by train to get to Davos in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum. She also sailed in a zero-emission yacht for two weeks across the Atlantic, to attend the United Nation’s Climate Action Summit in New York, US.
4. She is vegan
Another aspect of her environmentalism is Thunberg’s adoption of plant-based foods, which are much more sustainable than meat-based products. She hasn’t eaten meat since she was 12.
5. It’s in her genes
Thunberg’s parents have impressive careers. Her mum, Malena Ernman, is an opera singer, while her father, Svante Thunberg, is an actor and author. Coincidentally, her dad was named after Svante Arrhenius, the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who first calculated how carbon dioxide could lead to the greenhouse effect.
Do you follow Thunberg’s journey? Play today’s Crossword and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
