Feb 11, 2008
Weston teen says: Warm is not cool
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by Patricia Gay
Sam Allen, a 15-year old sophomore at Weston High School, has a message — Warm is not cool.
That is the theme of a new line of T-shirts and accessories Sam has designed to bring awareness to teenagers about the negative effects of global warming.
Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth’s temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. Some say a warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans.
While scientists are not exactly sure why or how global warming has happened, according to the Department of Environmental Protection, many believe that things people do are helping to make the Earth warmer.
That’s where Sam comes in. He wants to get the word out to young people about this issue. “My goal is to raise awareness of global warming and let everyone know that no matter how young or old you are there are things you can do to help,” he said.
ZeroOout
So Sam, his sister Phoebe, who is an eighth grader at Weston Middle School, and other like-minded eco-conscious teens have formed a group called ZeroOout.
The name has special significance, Sam said. The first “o” stands for the sun, the larger “O” stands for the Earth, the and the third “o” stands for the moon. “It’s like an eco-movement, a ’60s thing,” Sam said.
As a tribute, a local Weston band called The Poster Boys, featuring Walker Cole, Justin Lucas and Paul Bocker, wrote a song called Zero Out.
The lyrics of the song explain the significance of the phrase Zero Out: “I never had a clue that I was doing anybody wrong. Like so many of us just getting by, never going where we don’t belong. But if I knew the consequences of my actions and my ways, then maybe I would live to see another day. So I’ll Zero Out, rid myself of all I used to be.”
The ZeroOut group is trying to spread its message by using a multi-modal approach through music, the Internet, and fashion.
Sam and Phoebe have created a Web site, www.zerooout.com. “Phoebe is the Webmaster, she put it all together,” Sam said.
The site explains the group’s mission and sells the “Warm is not cool” T-shirts designed by Sam. “For every T-shirt we sell, we are contributing $1 to fund a scholarship for a student studying the environment or global warming,” Sam said.
WINCday
In an effort to connect with other teens, ZeroOout organized its first WINCday (Warm is not COOLday) this past Sunday, Feb. 3. The group is getting the word out through postings on popular teen Web sites FaceBook, YouTube, and MySpace.
“A WINCday is when everyone turns off all the lights in their house for the whole day and enjoys natural light from sunrise to sunset. Buying low watt bulbs is a beginning, but changing lifestyle habits is what it will take to start a real revolution,” Sam said.
Sam is also getting his message out in other media venues. Recently, he and Phoebe participated in an event called “Focus the Nation,” where more than 1,600 organizations throughout the country discussed global warming.
Sam and Phoebe were part of a panel at St. Phillip’s Church in Norwalk, where they discussed ZeroOout and things young people can do to make a difference in the environment.
“There are four very easy things that everyone can do: Think about nature at least once a day; turn off the lights when leaving a room; turn off the computer when not using it; and don’t take a bag from a store if it’s not needed, whether paper or plastic,” Sam said.
Design
When Sam graduates from Weston High School he wants to study interior design. But until then, he is busy selling his original-design T-shirts. “I think T-shirts are a great way to spread the word. It was fun doing a chic eco line,” he said.
The shirts come in a variety of colors and sizes and can be found locally at the WishList stores in Westport, Greenwich, Darien, and New Haven. The owner of WishList, Justine Olynick, took a strong interest in Sam’s T-shirts and has encouraged his work. “She is my mentor,” Sam said.
Sam has also been in touch with Teen Vogue, a fashion magazine aimed at youth. He said the magazine was interested in his endeavors and may be posting a link to ZeroOout on its Web site. “If that happens, it would be very big for us,” he said.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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