Will your child even have a future

Hey, what’s up? It’s me, Seth Perler.

I’m an executive function coach based in Boulder, Colorado, and I help struggling students navigate this thing called school.

Today, I’m doing a different kind of post. This is going to be more of a rant than my usual content.

This video is inspired by Greta Thunberg, the young climate activist who has inspired so many people to take action regarding climate change.

Whether we like it or not, climate change is a reality. Personally, I struggle to understand why some people still deny it. We are at a point where the impact humans have had on the planet is deeply concerning, and it’s the world our children are growing up in.

Today, I want to talk about three things:

1. Why this issue matters so much to me.

2. What I personally do to reduce my impact.

3. What I wish more people would do.

I don’t intend to offend anyone. If I do, I’m sorry. But I’m going to speak honestly.

Normally, I stay out of politics. I focus on helping students who struggle with executive function. That’s my lane.

But ultimately, I care about children’s futures.

And if we’re talking about the future, we can’t ignore the future state of the world they’ll inherit.

Many of the roughly 25,000 people who follow my blog and videos probably already agree with much of what I’m saying. In many ways, I’m preaching to the choir.

Still, I think it’s important to say it.

I don’t do the work I do so that kids can grow up in a world that’s struggling because of human neglect and environmental damage.

I do this work because I want kids to have a good future.

And if the planet is in trouble, it doesn’t matter how strong someone’s executive function skills are.

We have to start there.

I am genuinely concerned—concerned, scared, frustrated, and sometimes angry—about what is happening.

In my videos, I often tell parents:

“What you do matters.”

“What you say matters.”

“What you think matters.”

Usually, I’m talking about relationships, parenting, co-regulation, and the way adults influence children.

But the same principle applies here.

Everything we do has an impact.

Every action we take affects the world around us.

My actions affect the planet.

Your actions affect the planet.

The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is awareness and responsibility.

One thing that really bothers me is how disconnected many people seem from the consequences of their actions.

For example, every time I go through an airport, I notice enormous amounts of waste.

Plastic cups.

Packaging.

Aluminum cans.

Magazines.

Newspapers.

Disposable items everywhere.

Much of it ends up in the trash instead of being recycled.

Some airports are making improvements, but the overall lack of awareness still surprises me.

My parents recently traveled through Northern Europe, and one of the first things they said was how clean everything was.

They told me:

“You would love it there. People take environmental responsibility very seriously.”

That’s a cultural value.

In many places, people feel a responsibility to care for where they live.

Too often, we throw things into a landfill and never think about them again.

Out of sight.

Out of mind.

Yesterday, I walked past a trash can and saw two plastic water bottles tossed into the garbage.

Something about that really bothered me.

First, why are we still relying so heavily on single-use plastic bottles when filtered water is available almost everywhere?

Second, why throw them in the trash?

It’s not just the action itself.

It’s what it represents—a lack of awareness.

What frustrates me most is the lack of action.

And sometimes, the lack of interest in learning.

Many educated adults simply don’t seem interested in understanding these issues or taking small, practical steps to reduce their impact.

This isn’t a joke.

Imagine someone lighting a cigarette in a room with a baby.

You’d remove the baby immediately because we know cigarette smoke is harmful.

If there were lead paint in a child’s room, you’d address it.

If there were asbestos in a building, you’d take action.

These are dangers whose effects aren’t always immediately visible.

But we know they exist.

So we respond.

What frustrates me is that we often fail to think about environmental issues in the same way.

The damage we do to the planet affects future generations.

That matters.

One reason I admire Greta Thunberg is that she used her strengths, interests, and passions to make a difference.

She’s a neurodivergent young person who turned her passion into action.

That’s exactly what I want for the students I work with.

The goal isn’t simply for kids to get a job someday.

The goal is for them to discover something meaningful.

Something important to them.

Something aligned with their gifts, talents, and interests.

Executive function matters because it helps people turn ideas into action.

It helps them execute.

It helps them build lives with purpose and choice.

Greta saw something she cared about and acted on it.

She started with one small protest.

That protest became a movement.

The movement became global.

Another thing I think about is consumer culture.

We live in a culture that constantly tells us:

“Buy more.”

“Get more.”

“Upgrade.”

“Consume.”

But every product we buy has an impact.

Everything comes from somewhere.

Everything requires resources.

Sometimes I wish people had to keep every piece of trash they generated in their homes for a month.

No garbage pickup.

No taking it to the curb.

Just keep it all.

Imagine how quickly we’d become aware of how much waste we create.

We often don’t see the consequences because they’re removed from our daily lives.

Humanity’s impact on the planet has grown dramatically.

It took hundreds of thousands of years for the human population to reach one billion people.

Then, in just over a century, it grew to more than seven billion.

Think about the impact of that growth.

Roads.

Buildings.

Cities.

Infrastructure.

All of it changes the natural environment.

To pretend that humanity doesn’t have a significant impact on the Earth simply doesn’t make sense to me.

Even if someone isn’t completely convinced by every scientific prediction, taking precautions for the sake of future generations seems reasonable.

So what do I personally do?

First, I don’t try to be perfect.

Perfection isn’t the goal.

Awareness is.

I try to be mindful of the choices I make.

I avoid single-use plastic whenever possible.

I haven’t used disposable plastic water bottles for years.

I use reusable containers when I can.

I recycle.

I compost.

I provide recycling options in my office.

I try to model these behaviors for students.

I’m also very minimalistic.

Several years ago, I dramatically reduced the amount of stuff I owned.

At one point, nearly everything I owned fit into the back of my Subaru.

That experience changed my life.

Now, whenever I bring something new into my life, I think carefully about whether I truly need it.

I reuse bags.

I reuse paper.

I use reusable grocery bags.

I buy only what I need.

I try to support companies that care about sustainability.

When I order takeout, I decline extra utensils and unnecessary packaging.

When I stay at hotels, I don’t take materials I don’t need.

None of these actions are perfect.

But they reflect conscious choices.

So what’s my request?

It’s simple.

Notice that what we do matters.

Take time to learn.

Do your own research.

Think about the impact of your daily choices.

Consider the products you buy.

Consider the waste you create.

Consider the legacy we’re leaving for future generations.

This isn’t about politics.

This isn’t about me.

It’s about the future.

It’s about protecting the only home we have.

And it’s about helping our children inherit a world where they can thrive.

One final thing.

I’ve been inspired by Greta’s “Fridays for Future” movement.

I have a lot on my plate, so I’m not making promises yet, but I’d like to start creating “Future Friday” videos.

On Fridays, I want to explore issues that affect children’s futures—not just environmental issues, but educational issues as well.

For example, I’d love to have conversations about traditional letter grades, which I personally have strong concerns about.

There are many topics that impact young people’s lives and deserve deeper discussion.

So perhaps that’s something I’ll explore moving forward.

Thank you for sticking with me through this longer video.

My name is Seth Perler. I’m an executive function coach based in Boulder, Colorado, and I help struggling students navigate this thing called education.

If you haven’t already, feel free to subscribe, follow my work, and share your thoughts.

I appreciate you, and I hope you have a fantastic day.