Stay Tuned To Our Planet: This new YouTube series is helping youth turn climate anxiety into action

A new YouTube and TikTok series, Stay Tuned To Our Planet (STTOP), has launched in Australia to equip young people with the tools they need to take climate action and help mitigate the alarmingly high levels of climate anxiety in young Australians.

The 28 minisode climate action series tackles key environmental issues with presenter and YouTuber, Mathew McKenna, and a plethora of Australia’s leading eco influencers – from activists and authors, to musicians and scientists.

The likes of ‘Rubbish runner’ Beau Miles, 2023 NSW Young Australian of the Year Lottie Dalziel and youth changemaker Plastic Free Sophia (Sophia Skarparis) are among those that have joined forces in this Aussie-first quest to help young people turn climate anxiety into action.

Research finds that 1 in 3 (32%) young Australians are dealing with climate anxiety on a daily basis. Encouragingly, 72% say that hearing positive climate change stories in the media or online is helpful when experiencing climate distress*.

“We know that the vast majority of young people get their information from digital or social media and we knew we needed to be on their channels in order to reach them,” says Lizzy Nash, the Creator & Executive Producer of STTOP, “but when I started researching, there was nothing that I could find that directed the climate change discussion towards teenagers and involved them in solutions.”

After 25+ years working in the production industry and running successful local and international companies, Lizzy decided to drop everything. “As the mother of a teenager, I began contemplating my son’s future, the world around him and the devastating effects of climate change for the next generation,” she says. “I realised that I had to be part of the solution and take action by using the skills that I have as a filmmaker.”

Lizzy spent the next three and a half years working with researchers, mental health experts, production teams and a Teen Advisory Board to bring the STTOP series to life.

“When we were writing and producing the show, we spoke to mental health experts from the Orygen Institute and headspace,” she says. “Orygen’s research confirmed that one of the most helpful ways to alleviate climate anxiety is by providing young people resources about different ways to take action. So that is what the series provides.”

The series is now endorsed by the Orygen Institute, the University of Melbourne, headspace, Planet Ark, Environmental Education, NSW, Parents for Climate, Conservation Volunteers Australia and  Surfers for Climate. It is also part of the Documentary Australia Environmental Accelerator program.

Mathew Mckenna

Presenter Mathew McKenna, who will be speaking about STTOP at TEDxSydney Youth, says “for me, the series is a marriage of what I know I’m good at — making people laugh — and what I’m passionate about — our environment.” He says, “I was able to meet and interview some amazing people from wildly different backgrounds — dedicating their lives to the study of flies, making brownies from bugs, changing Australian laws at the age of 14 — incredible people.”

That 14 year old was Sophia Skarparis, aka Plastic Free Sophia, who discusses youth activism in episode 1. “As a team of youth, we represent 100% of the future,” she says. “Together, we hold the power to rewrite the future for the better.”

As the final episodes unfold on YouTube and TikTok, the STTOP series will be fully released by September 10th “We’re overwhelmed by the positive response so far,” says Lizzy. “What I hope for now, is that we can secure grants and philanthropy so that we can develop the series into a free education program for schools and community groups across Australia. With digital resources that engage, entertain and inspire young people, we can generate meaningful change and amplify our impact, not just now, but for years to come.”

STTOP episode highlights include: