A recent online poll by the Sydney Morning Herald found most respondents despondent about the ability of young people to make positive change in the world. In fact, youth were generally regarded as a write-off by all but a small percentage of those polled.

Perhaps the SMH readers were still waking up and had yet to have their first coffee. Maybe their significant others had just dissed them or picked a fine time to leave. Whatever the case, our youth have been seriously underestimated.

While there are plenty of tales of teenagers struggling with depression or caught up with dumb drugs like Ice – why Ice? It should’ve been called Rage – there are those young people who are tackling the world’s problems head-on, and with enthusiasm.

A case in point is the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (http://aycc.org.au), which includes Byron Shire youth among its participants. It is out to face the biggest challenge of our time (I seem to remember some prime minister even calling it the ‘greatest moral challenge’).

AYCC says it is entirely youth-run and represents more than 30 of Australia’s largest youth organisations and over 70,000 individual members.

According to AYCC, ‘It is young Australians who will face the consequences of decisions made today. That’s why we have the vision that will deliver the short-term political impact and long-term cultural change needed for a safe climate future.’

Wow. That’s some claim. That’s the bravado and enthusiasm of youth for you, and I think it’s beholden on us cynical old duffers to cheer them on. My generation did its fair share in screwing up the planet and it would be entirely black-hearted not to appreciate the efforts of young folk to repair the damage.

These people are part of an international movement, love their planet, and they vote. This could be the start of a revolution fit to dwarf the Arab Spring.