TRUST Colorado
Produced by WITNESS
In this episode of the TRUST series, meet Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, an 11-year-old boy from Boulder, Colorado. Xiuhtezcatl shares why he joined youth from across the country to ask the courts to hear their lawsuit (Alec L., et al., v. Lisa P. Jackson, et al.), which is based on one of the most fundamental principles of civilized society: TRUST.
Xiuhtezcatl asks that our atmosphere be protected, because he loves playing in Colorado’s mountains, forests, lakes, and streams and fears that the resources he most enjoys will not be there for his generation if we continue emitting carbon at current rates. Xiuhtezcatl shares, “The proof of climate change is everywhere I look. In my lifetime, the amount of forest killed by pine beetles has expanded. The number of acres burned has intensified. My generation is losing our forests. We are losing our homes. It’s not too late to ensure my generation has a livable future. But we need to listen to the science and act now.”
Over a century ago, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that our federal government has an absolute legal duty to protect our essential common natural resources – such as our air and our water – for present and future generations of Americans. Our youth are simply asking our third branch of government to compel our legislative and executive branches to do their jobs. For more information about the lawsuits and other TRUST youth, please visit: www.ourchildrenstrust.org
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