Building a Peaceful World: Why Every Generation Matters
- Rachel Bailleau
- Sep 20
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 27
It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of climate change. Sometimes we look to younger generations to step in and save the day. Other times, we place blame on older generations for the mess we’re in. But the truth is: every generation has a part to play in building a peaceful and healthy world.
We all have something amazing to offer, and we all have something to learn. Babies, children, teenagers, adults, and elders each bring unique gifts that can help wildlife, the climate to stabilise, and people to flourish. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment.
Babies: Inspiring Hope
A baby is a symbol of possibility. When a baby is born, they are someone to protect, to nurture, and to guide. Their presence reminds parents, grandparents, and wider communities of what truly matters: a safe and happy future.
Babies inspire us to care: not just for them, but for all babies everywhere. Their innocence reminds us that every child, no matter where they are born, deserves clean air, safe water, and a thriving planet. They are the very beginning of building a peaceful world.
There was a time when I felt I “couldn’t bring a baby into this world.” The climate crisis felt too overwhelming, and the grief too heavy. But as I worked through those feelings, I realised that having a child was not only an act of love, but also a way to feel truly invested in the future.
Being a mum has been tough and also joyful. My daughter reminds me every day that the world is worth fighting for, and that giving up on hope isn’t an option.
Reflection: Do you have any babies in your life that you want to protect? Would you rather not have a baby because of climate change? If you’ve had a baby, how do you feel about their future?
Young Children: Honest Voices
Young children bring honesty into our lives in ways that can be both refreshing and challenging. (No, I don’t have pizza on my face, dear, I’m a bit spotty right now!) They don’t care about clothing brands or impressive careers. They want to play in the mud, splash in puddles, climb trees, and laugh with their friends.
Young children live in the present moment and don’t hide their feelings to make anyone feel more comfortable. And they have a lot of questions.
A child’s simple question can stop us in our tracks. “Why can’t everyone have a home?” “Why do people cut down the forests if we need trees to breathe?” “Why do we throw food away if other people are hungry?”
These questions cut through layers of complexity and excuses. They remind us of the absurdity of harming the very systems that keep us alive. If the values we claim to have and the actions we live by aren’t coherent, our kids will tell us straight.
Children are naturally generous, too. Of course, sharing the green tractor with classmates can be tough. But when it really matters, many kids instinctively want to share. They tug at their parents’ sleeves to give a coin to someone in need. Their compassion is a reminder that building a peaceful world requires sharing, fairness, and care for one another.
Reflection: Has a child ever asked you something that stopped you in your tracks? As a child, did you ever do anything particularly generous for somebody else? Were your emotions welcomed by adults as a child, or were you seen as “naughty” for feeling sad or angry?
Adolescents and Young Adults: The Bridge
Young adults are sometimes unfairly labelled as naïve or utopian. But are they really? Is it idealistic to think that protecting the systems that keep us alive should be the top priority? Is it naive to think that bombing innocent civilians is a waste of resources and morally bankrupt?
It can be tempting to brush young people off as out of touch or immature, because that makes our unfair and violent world easier to live with. But adolescents and young adults are the vital bridge between the raw honesty and compassion of children and the responsibility and resourcefulness of adulthood. Their fiery sense of justice, their refusal to accept “the way things are,” and their impatience with excuses can be a wake-up call to older generations. Their voices remind us that building a peaceful world begins with refusing to normalise harm.
Reflection: If you are a young person, do you ever feel like adults brush you off as utopian? If you are an adult, can you remember a time when you were more fiery in your convictions?
Adults: Responsibility and Creativity
Adulthood often means juggling many roles: worker, carer, parent, friend, neighbour. In the face of climate grief, adults can feel stretched thin. Sometimes, adults are unfairly stereotyped as too busy or too pragmatic to care. But this stage of life also brings creativity, resourcefulness, and the ability to build lasting change.
Adults often hold the tools to bring vision into reality. They can influence workplaces, raise children with awareness, create community projects, and vote with their wallet whenever they make a purchase. At this stage, many of us learn how to bridge idealism with practical action, making small but steady steps that ripple outward.
But we can also get so lost in the day-to-day grind that climate and biodiversity start taking a back seat. That’s totally understandable. Ideally, we can work as adults to take good care of ourselves so we have a little extra energy to offer to our community and the earth. But if you’re just treading water right now, hang on in there and know that you’ll contribute more when you’re batteries have been able to recharge.
Reflection: Do you live in line with your values, or is there still a lot of work to do? Are you stretched thin right now, or do you have extra energy to offer to causes you care about? How could you take care of yourself this week?
Elders: Wisdom and Courage
Older adults are sometimes dismissed as out of touch or unfairly lumped together as “selfish baby boomers.” But many elders were pioneers of the environmental movement.
Think of Rachel Carson, whose book Silent Spring in 1962 sparked ecological awareness. Or Michael Mann, who revealed the “hockey stick curve” of rising global temperatures. Or Vandana Shiva, who has fought for biodiversity and farmers’ rights in India. Without pioneers like Baby Boomers, we wouldn’t have the knowledge or motivation to create a better world.
And elders continue to lead. The Swiss Grannies for the Climate recently won a landmark case at the European Court of Human Rights, forcing governments to act. Groups like Grandparents for Future are stepping forward, too, showing that caring for the future is not limited to youth.
Their courage and perspective remind us that building a peaceful world is not bound by age. When we take the time to drink a coffee with an elderly neighbour or family member regularly, we soon realise that many older people have a helpful perspective to share on our concerns, and we can reduce loneliness in older people at the same time.
Is there an elder in your life that you could learn from? Are you an elder yourself, and do you feel that younger people in your life listen to your advice? Is there an elder person in your life you could spend more time with?
Building a Peaceful World: A Shared Task
Climate grief can make us feel small or powerless. But when we look at the gifts of each generation, a different picture emerges. Babies inspire hope. Children remind us of honesty and generosity. Young adults push us toward action. Adults build systems of care and change. Elders offer wisdom and courage.
Wherever you are in life, you have something to offer and something to learn from others. Together, we can build a peaceful world where wildlife thrives, communities are safe, and the climate stabilises.
Final Reflection: What role are you playing right now in building a peaceful world, and what role might you step into next?
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