take back the planet: Part 1 the future belongs to the next generation
From billions of electronic devices to a climate crisis, we have to ask ourselves: what kind of planet are we leaving behind?
Back in 2013, I did a final project that I don't think many people in my class were particularly interested in hearing about.
While everyone was busy worrying about their presentations, I was looking at something that seemed almost impossible to comprehend.
There were already approximately 10 billion connected devices on Earth — more devices than people.
Phones, computers, tablets, industrial equipment, sensors and all the other technology connecting our increasingly digital world.
There were about 7.2 billion people on the planet at the time.
I remember thinking: Where are all these devices being manufactured? What resources are being extracted to make them? How much energy and water does production require? And what happens when we throw them away?
Fast-forward to 2026.
We now live in a world of artificial intelligence, enormous data centres, cloud computing, constant upgrades and billions upon billions of connected devices.
Technology has brought extraordinary opportunities. But it also comes with an environmental footprint that we cannot simply ignore.
Every device begins somewhere. It requires raw materials, mining, manufacturing, energy, transportation and eventually disposal.
And the planet is paying the price for our appetite for more.
Meanwhile, the next generation is taking Canada to court
Something important is happening right here in Vancouver.
Fifteen young Canadians are bringing their government before the Federal Court in a landmark climate case, La Rose v. His Majesty the King.
The case was launched in 2019. After seven years of legal proceedings, their trial began in Vancouver on October 26, 2026.
Supported by West Coast Environmental Law, Our Children's Trust and their legal teams, these young people are arguing that Canada's inadequate climate policies violate their Charter rights to life, liberty and security of the person.
They are asking the court to recognize the government's responsibility to protect their future and require a science-based climate recovery plan.
This isn't a lawsuit seeking personal compensation. It is about accountability and the constitutional rights of young people.
The government disputes the legal responsibility being asserted. It will be up to the court to consider the arguments and evidence.
But these young Canadians have already accomplished something important: they have brought their concerns into a courtroom where the government must answer them.
And they are not alone. Other young Canadians and environmental organizations are also challenging government climate decisions through the courts.
To the kids: this is your planet, too
I want these young people to know something.
You are not asking for too much.
You are asking for clean air, safe water, healthy communities, a stable climate and a future in which you can grow up without constantly wondering what environmental disaster might be next.
You are asking adults to think beyond the next election, the next quarterly profit, the next pipeline or the next development project.
You are asking us to consider the consequences of decisions that will affect generations who haven't even been born yet.
And you deserve to be heard.
But taking back the planet means more than winning a court case.
It means questioning the throwaway economy. It means demanding responsible manufacturing, protecting forests and oceans, reducing pollution, investing in renewable energy and holding corporations and governments accountable.
It means understanding that economic growth cannot be measured only in dollars if the natural systems that sustain us are being depleted.
It means making room for Indigenous knowledge, the people who have been protecting their territories and waters for generations, and communities whose voices have too often been overlooked.
And it means refusing to accept that the way things have always been done is the only way they can be done.
The grown-ups need to listen
To West Coast Environmental Law, the environmental lawyers, scientists, advocates and everyone supporting these young plaintiffs: thank you for helping bring this issue before the courts.
To the young people standing up: keep asking questions. Keep learning. Keep organizing. Keep challenging decisions that affect your future.
You shouldn't have to spend your childhood fighting to protect the conditions necessary for life.
But here you are, doing exactly that.
I started asking questions about the environmental cost of our technological consumption back in 2013. Thirteen years later, those questions haven't gone away. If anything, they have become more urgent.
We cannot keep taking from the Earth as though its resources are endless and expect the next generation to clean up after us.
The planet isn't ours to use up. We are temporary caretakers of something much bigger than ourselves.
It's time to rethink what progress means.
It's time to put people and the natural world ahead of endless consumption.
And it's time to give the next generation a real say in the future they will inherit.
Kids, don't give up. Ask the difficult questions. Demand accountability. Take your place at the table. This is your future, and you have every right to help shape it.
The planet doesn't belong to the billionaires, corporations or governments.
It belongs to all of us.
And it's worth fighting for.
Further reading:
- West Coast Environmental Law — La Rose v. His Majesty the King: https://www.wcel.org/case
- Our Children's Trust — Canada climate trial: https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/canada
- West Coast Environmental Law — Climate litigation: https://www.wcel.org/program/climate-litigation
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