Kids are speaking up for the environment. Let's listen

Known for big, attention-grabbing installations -- like his four towering waterfalls in New York's East River -- Olafur Eliasson has scaled down his latest project, Earth Speakr: an art platform for kids designed to spur budding climate activists to lead discussions on nature, conservation, pollution and more.

My name is Olafur Eliasson.

I'm an artist.

I work with natural phenomena,

the weather,

climate, environment

and our future, one could say.

(Soft sound)

I was very inspired by youth movements,

how young people actually
have organized themselves

in order to be heard.

For some time now,

I have in fact collaborated
with young people --

they are the artists
as well, in this case --

to make a project "Earth Speakr,"

where we, the grown-ups,
can listen to them.

So join me in listening to them
talking about the environment,

and about the climate, about the future,

and see what they have to say.

Girl 1: With "Earth Speakr," I can share
my voice to anything I see.

It's a platform for us to speak up
and for the world to hear us.

I could put a face on anything around me
and say my message.

Hey, excuse me, I can see you.

(Recorded voice)
Hey, excuse me. I can see you.

Kids can be the experts.

When we come together,
we can find the answers.

All you have to do is listen.

Boy 1: Fight for our future.

(Italian) Help me to live
1,000 years more.

(German) I am hungry!

Boy 2: It's our future,
and it's getting hotter.

(Recorded voice) It's our
future, and it's getting hotter.

If I see a message I like,
I can share it with my friends and family.

Girl 2: It's so cool because
we can share our voices,

we can hear others,

and that's how we know
that we're not alone in this fight.

And if enough of us make messages,

then the grown-ups
will have to listen to us.

Then we can really make
a change in the world.

(Polish) I was so dry
before I got watered!

(Portuguese) Hello! My message would be
that all houses should have solar panels!

(French) Hey, I am Willy from the Earth!

Girl 3: Imagine every place
being as green as me.

This can be your future.

OE: See?

Their imagination
is just so inspiring, I think,

and gives me hope also,
frankly speaking.

So in "Earth Speakr," only kids can speak,

and the grown-ups are listening, right?

Of course, I still have an ask for you,

as a grown-up, go and make
a Speakr message with a kid

and send it out into the world.

Make sure that the kid feels
"Wow! Somebody's listening to me."

Because if we do that,

I think the future might be
shaping in the right direction.

Thank you.