By Jovan Brooks
In January 2007, Felix Finkbeiner from Germany was 9 years old and in fourth grade. He gave a class presentation on global warming and suggested to his classmates that children should plant one million trees in each country of the world.
At the age of ten, Felix Finkbeiner founded Plant for the Planet. Inspired by Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai’s movement to plant 30 million trees in Africa, Felix sought to do the same thing in Germany. Within his organization’s first year, children from Germany had planted over 100,000 trees! With help from the United Nations, Finkbeiner was able to share his idea with young people from all over the world. Soon, he had children in nearly 100 countries planting trees on behalf of Plant for the Planet. And today Plant for the Planet has a new goal – to plant 1 trillion trees!
Produced by author, illustrator and filmmaker Lynne Cherry, Plant for the Planet is curated for Planet Classroom by Young Voices for the Planet. It is the true story of how Felix Finkbeiner’s incredible journey began.
The film’s most intriguing aspect is its ability to serve as a time capsule. It offers a compelling look back at Felix in his earliest endeavors as a young influencer and leader of the cause against climate change who went on to inspire abundant actions in Germany and eventually the rest of the world. Furthermore, we have the pleasure of hearing what his parents thought of their young activist. One element I wish the creators had focused on more were the efforts behind creating the Plant for the Planet organization, especially seeing how far this movement has advanced today.
Altogether, Plant for the Planet is an inspiring short documentary offering a glimpse of just how prominent young people can be. I give this film 3 out of 5 stars.
Jovan Brooks is a senior at Towson University majoring in film production with a minor in acting. Interning in Scripted Series Development, he is a member of the Emmys Television Academy Foundation class of 2021. A diversely skilled writer, actor, and editor, Jovan aspires to ultimately tell meaningful stories in television and film.
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