JOHANNESBURGMonky Sekwala (16), Tladi, SowetoLebohang Mosiuoa (15), Pimville, SowetoBoth contribute to Johannesburg's Live magazine  LONDONYara Shaikh (19), Camberwell, south LondonJack Brennan (15) Gipsy Hill, south LondonAida Gugsa (18) Sydenham, south LondonAll contribute to south London's Live magazine, a publication for young people written by young people and run by Livity, a Brixton-based youth marketing agency.  NEW YORKAmosh Neupane (17), Woodside, QueensMakayla Comas (17), East Flatbush, BrooklynKafila Muhammad (16), Williamsburg, BrooklynAll are from New York City's Global Kids initiative, a Manhattan-based non-profit educational organisation  RIO DE JANEIROMichel Silva (19), Rocinha favela, southern zone of RioRaíssa Farias (18), Jacarepagua, in the western zone of RioMichel is the founder of two newspapers: Viva Rocinha and Speak RoçaRaissa is a web/graphic designer  Michel (Rio)Rocinha has been called a neighbourhood by the city of Rio de Janeiro since 1993, but I still consider it a favela. It is a cluster of houses built vertically, and many are small. My house has three rooms and I live with my parents and two sisters. The houses do not have a safe structure. Many homes need improvements to increase the safety of residents.  Yara (London)In Camberwell, everyone just clicks; there isn't really an issue with different ethnicities and cultures. I've lived around the same people for years and you are always bumping into someone you know or you know the person who owns this market stall – it kind of reminds me of EastEnders a bit so I like it. To me it's different to most areas because it has so much community spirit.  Monky (Jo'burg)I've lived in Soweto since I was a baby. I don't really like this area, because there are no things for young people. There should be more entertainment and libraries; you have to walk a long distance to get to a library. I would like more parks too, for young people to go to. Also in my area you have to sit and wait a long time for services at the local clinic – I wish that wasn't the case. I prefer [central] Johannesburg because it has more entertainment, many lights – it's very busy, lots of businesses, more shops, more hotels, more tourists.  Kafila (NY)I've lived in Williamsburg all my life. At first it wasn't a really good neighbourhood, but as more people started to move in, it started to change, more organic stores appeared and more sustainable healthy food stores, which is good because I am a vegetarian. However, if I go to my friends' neighbourhood or I go to a predominately black/African-American neighbourhood, it's likely that I won't see any kind of health food store. Just walking around different neighbourhoods in New York you can automatically tell the change; if you walked from Brooklyn to Manhattan, or even if you walked from a prominent wealthy neighbourhood in Brooklyn and then you walked to a poor, disadvantaged neighbourhood in Brooklyn, you can automatically tell the difference when you cross the boundary, certain apartments, the way the houses look, the stores that are there – you can tell.  Raíssa (Rio)Things have changed here a lot: it used to be calm and quiet, but now we are almost overcrowded. We have so many people living in the same place, and that's not really cool because there's more violence. People from poorer cities in Brazil come to Rio and São Paulo to get more opportunities. My neighbourhood used to be really calm and the cost of living is cheap; I guess this is what made it attractive to lots of people.  Lebohang (Jo'burg)My neighbourhood is very clean, there is a local older man who always makes sure that it's very clean in the streets, he's not paid by anyone he just takes a lot of pride in keeping the area nice. My neighbourhood is very safe too. Plus the houses in our neighbourhood all have air conditioning and fans to keep cool.  Yara (London)There are a lot of old blocks of flats around my area and there are so many areas that are renovating flats; there is a lot of construction. I feel like the area doesn't look pretty. More lights, more decoration would be nice. When I head to areas like Chelsea and Kensington and there is renovation happening to a building, they always have lovely illustrated or painted boxed covers to hid the scaffolding, but in my neighbourhood all you see is the grey structures and pipes. I feel that whoever comes up with the ideas for covering scaffolding in creative ways needs to spread the love everywhere, instead of just keeping it in Chelsea. If your area looks pretty, you feel happier and have more pride in looking after it, whereas if it looks all doom and gloom you couldn't care less.  Aida (London)I've been living in Sydenham all my life and everyone is very friendly, I know all the neighbours, I feel safe. I had a small kitchen fire last year when I burned a pot and my neighbours came to help, called the fire brigade, got it all sorted. If someone loses their keys, one of us will have a spare key, it's very friendly. Brixton, too, looks a lot better now it's had some special attention, its really grown and adapted through the years. There is still a sense of community but it feels safer than it was before, and some will say it's lost its character but I think its gained more character. I think cutting the crime and cleaning up the area, it brightened up Brixton and more people come to the area and feel safe and get to experience the culture. Also Brixton market became Brixton Village, and you can go for lunch in there now or grab a coffee.  Amosh (NY)There are thousands of immigrants coming to New York every day; I myself moved here a year and a half ago. It does a great job of providing opportunities, but they are not as widespread as they should be. There is a huge gap between the natives and the immigrants and it's often the communities of colour and communities where immigrants live that are more disadvantaged, which is different to communities where white Anglo-Saxons predominately live. So that is one issue that we need to focus on, and alleviate the differences that have been plaguing communities in this city for years.  Michel (Rio)Rocinha is a very good favela to live in. We don't need to go into another neighbourhood to buy a product. There are five public schools, community and private nurseries. There are thousands of shops selling fresh fruit and vegetables. In addition there are two large supermarkets and an appliance and electronics store. There is shopping in Rocinha. Residents use the malls in the neighborhoods around the favela, but feel discriminated against by their lack of material wealth. The locals are friendly and there is not much prejudice among Rocinha residents. The problem is the discrimination slumdwellers suffer from middle-class neighbourhoods looking down on us. Formerly there was a prejudice towards young people; all young children were thought to be drug dealers. The reality has changed a lot; young people are more interested in leisure activities and learning.  Raíssa (Rio)The thing I like most about living in Rio is the people. I love cariocas (inhabitant of Rio de Janeiro), we are so kind and happy.  Lebohang (Jo'burg)I like the sense of heritage here. I speak English, but in Soweto we also speak Zulu and Sesotho. I speak Sesotho in my house with my family, and I like that the language carries on from generation to generation. I like the diversity we have in Johannesburg, and I'm interested in the city's history. After the Mandela funeral, everyone came out into the streets to celebrate his life. I'd like to believe everyone has a photo of Mandela in their house.  Makayla (NY)It's very evident in New York City that there is a division between people. You probably saw in the news about the 99% v the 1%, and divisions with race. I feel that class and race have something to do with people participating in the sustainability of the city. Everyone needs to be involved in the decision making, not just one part of the community.  Amosh (NY)I also think that things often get lost in translation as we, the non-native speakers aren't as good at expressing ourselves with English, and so I think we need to provide more opportunities and more resources for immigrants and disadvantaged people. Like what Makayla said … 1% vs 99%. We belong in the 99% so we want good resources to be available for us to benefit from, too. Most people perceive New York as a place where people are arrogant and don't talk to each other. So in order to make NYC more amicable, I think community involvement is vital. I want to see community meetings, not just about city planning but disability, education, and prioritising things that the community think are most important in their day-to-day lives. The more people get involved in community talks and events, and think about the community, the better the place will be to live in.  Kafila (NY)How safe I feel depends on what neighbourhood I am in. Some are worse than others – it depends on the demographics: if the community is low-income or not, where it's located, how big the police presence is in the community. Sometimes if there is more police I feel safer, and sometimes I feel more threatened because there is also the chance of being racially profiled.  Yara (London)Generally I feel safe here – but sometimes, especially in winter when it gets darker earlier, I do this thing where I keep my keys near my knuckles. It was a trick my mum taught me where you put the keys in between the spaces of your fingers and keep your hand in your pocket so if anyone tries to attack you out of nowhere when you punch them it will be harder.  Raíssa (Rio)I've never been mugged, never seen any kind of violence, but I still feel insecure. I think the police should be an example of confidence, but we cannot trust them at all. The police are very corrupt. Sometimes people trust more in the bad guys than the police. And we have lots of cases of bribery regarding the police.  Yara (London)Around here there are a lot of undercover police but you can see their belt and stuff. So that makes me feel like there is something bad going on, rather than making me feel safe. Also many of the community support officers, they just walk around pestering young people that don't need to be pestered and are just innocently going about their day.  Makayla (NY)Getting certain communities and the police to like each other is a very tough goal. I believe that a more attainable goal would be understanding on both sides and that begins with communication. There are shootings of young black males from police officers in these communities and usually the community is left wondering why the person was shot, it wasn't necessary – often the justification is that they were threatening or wore threatening clothes, but that's not enough justification. So I believe that the mentality of the officers is a big component of the path to understanding. I don't think that there is anything physical that you could do with some communities. I come from those kind of communities that aren't that safe – and if you put in more police officers we feel threatened; if you put more lights, we're like why are there so many lights? What police and council people can do is become more in touch with the community they serve, put more amenities in the community that can get teenagers and children involved.  Aida (London)I've been mugged a couple of times, so I'm always aware of my surroundings and I prefer to keep my stuff close to me no matter the area. I don't think it makes a difference if the police are around on not. I just prefer not to attract attention to myself.  Yara (London)I don't feel that threatened in my area; there's always someone drunk in the park or someone dealing drugs at the end of my street, but they wont bother you if you don't bother them, so no eye contact and just keep walking and you'll be fine.  Lebohang (Jo'burg)There are boys on the street corners in my area getting into trouble, they don't have anything to do so they just choose to commit crime. I think maybe they have problems at home and they don't like to be at home. Also my neighbourhood is exclusively black African, there is not a lot of diversity, unlike the city as a whole – I would like it to be more multicultural. My neighbourhood is very safe, though. There is a soccer area and a netball field for young people. The houses are nice and big, with big yards – they are spread out, not bunched close together.  Michel (Rio)I feel safe in some areas of the city, but in the northern zone of Rio, the situation is critical. If I were political, I would invest in public security policies. I was recently robbed in Rio and the thieves took my phone. The Rio de Janeiro transformations are suffering because of the new security policy. The UPPs (pacifying police unit) are expelling traffickers from the slums but they are taking refuge in other slums. So, drug trafficking is reduced but robberies have increased because of the decrease in trafficking. There is only one park near Tijuca Forest but residents do not use it; that is where Amarildo de Souza disappeared. Amarildo was a resident of Rocinha who everyone thinks was murdered by officers of the UPP. For fear, locals avoid the place.  Amosh (NY)I think the culture of carrying weapons should be addressed. In the US you can own them, whereas you can't in other countries in the world – and so you feel less safe because you don't know who might have something in their back pocket to harm you. Just this morning I read about two people being shot in Indiana … This culture of carrying weapons is a big issue in our country that needs to be addressed.  Lebohang (Jo'burg)Most young people in my area have mobile phones – mostly a Nokia or Blackberry. My parents are really strict so they believe you have to be a certain age before you get a mobile phone; I got a Nokia phone when I was 13. I'd love to have a computer myself one day, because I would like to study computer engineering. A lot of houses in my area have computers; the area is becoming more interested in technology now because most houses have kids my age, and we love technology. For apps, I like Facebook and What'sApp, which connects me to my friends and the rest of the world, so I can socialise a lot easier. Arranging events via Facebook and What'sApp is cheaper than calling on our phones.  Yara (London)I am cautious of technology knowing too much about you. When they launched the iPhone 5s and 5c with fingerprint sensor recognition – at the time I had a free upgrade to get from my phone provider and could have got that one, but I didn't want a phone that encodes my fingerprint. I feel like it's too much, too invasive. And even with the Xbox One – apparently, because the internet signal is always on, the camera that's part of it is on too. So I would never get that; I don't want a camera peering into my living room.  Jack (London)No internet equals boredom. I would be lost without technology in general; I wouldn't be able to find the local Argos or when the next bus is approaching.  Amosh (NY)I don't have a phone but my favourite app which I use on my mum's tablet is called Duolingo for learning words. I joined Twitter four months ago– it's packed with information. I like Facebook too. The government in NYC has a lot of great apps too: to renew your medical insurance etc, it's just one click as opposed to sending a long letter in the post which takes five or six days. I also like the Goodreads app. The book I am reading right now – Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin – I stumbled on a review by a person recommending this book, so I started reading it and it's a brilliant page-turner.  Raíssa (Rio)Technology is easily accessible here. Everyone can get a good phone, a good notebook computer, a good TV. I got my first mobile phone when I was 16 years old. Today I think Google Maps is essential for any part of the world. I use Twitter too, to know things about the traffic.  Michel (Rio)I work with alternative journalism; I had a news project via SMS for the residents of Rocinha. It worked very well. It would be interesting to create an app on transport and how to convert public-private spaces for recreation and cultural events.  Yara (London)Whenever I'm based somewhere and the internet goes down, everyone starts twiddling their thumbs – it's like nothing happens without technology any more. I was on the street recently and someone asked me for directions and immediately I went to type it into Google Maps. Now that everything is so accessible at the end of your finger, I feel like it gives young people another reason to be lazy. I always make sure that when I am with someone, I turn my phone face down because I think it's rude otherwise.  Raíssa (Rio)We use buses more, I have never used a train – they are too expensive. Some buses are broken and old, and in summer we suffer with the heat inside them. It's almost a torture – I'm not joking! Sometimes, not that frequently, we have cases of assaults and even rapes in the buses, so I don't think they're really secure. The buses costs 2.95 reals [74p]. This price increased a lot in the last few years, but the salaries haven't increased at the same time. There are people who need two or three buses just to get to their job. At the end of the month, a big chunk of your pay cheque has gone on transport  Monky (Jo'burg)I use the taxi more because it's safer than the train, but it costs more. The train is very busy, overcrowded, you get more accidents – adults just use it for work, and it's not safe for people my age. There are lots of pickpockets on the trains. A taxi to most places I need to go is less than 40 rand [£2.17]  Lebohang (Jo'burg)The train is not safe, so I ride in the white taxis. When I get older I will probably still use a taxi because I have grown up with them and I feel safer in them. My parents are happier when I take the taxi; when I go anywhere, I have to text my family and let them know that I have arrived because my dad is very worried about my safety.  Amosh (NY)There were problems with the transportation here after hurricane Sandy. The transportation was down for 10 days and some train stations are still suffering, they are still being renovated. So I guess since the transportation system and subways were established over 100 years ago, we need to update what we have and build more climate-resilient infrastructure in our city.  Kafila (NY)I think that transportation in NYC is amazing because we don't have to have a car; you can get anywhere on a bike or the subway or buses, or even walking because of the bridges. In my neighbourhood we have more bike lanes now, and the new CitiBikes are great too. I use so many apps daily to navigate the city – Hopstop [a transit directions app] is amazing if you want to get anywhere in NYC and you need a shortcut.  Aida (London)I love my app to tell me when then bus is coming – it's called Bus Countdown. It's so helpful, so I don't have to stand in the cold for too long. Buses are my main form of transport from outside my house, so I use this app a lot. I wish there was an underground service, though, I really do. I live on a hill and it's really inconvenient. Also I wish they would extend the Boris Bikes scheme to the whole of London; it would give everyone opportunities to cycle more – what about the rest of us? Better bike lanes would be good too.  Yara (London)I use Transport for London's journey planner website to track if the trains are working. For travel, I use the map that's embedded in my phone – I type in the postcode or name and just follow the line. It's really convenient because I get lost a lot, my sense of direction is disgusting.  Jack (London)The council could do a lot more around my area because there are not a lot of big spaces; there's one big park but nothing happens there because it's a dog park. There is a youth club that does art activities for ages 7 up to 15, so it's limited for my age group. I want more places to hang out; if I do hang out it's on the street, there's no indoor shelter other than each other's houses, there is not a lot that the council is providing. There are no cafes around my area really, and it's limited for shops, bakeries and restaurants.  Michel (Rio)The Rocinha slum is rich in art and exhibitions. There are many dance and music shows in people's houses over holidays; most are funk music, sometimes it's samba or forró [from north-eastern Brazil]. But funk is the favourite musical rhythm of both young people and adults. The locals aren't interested in opera. Recently, the government built a large library, which has space for theatre and other activities. Many residents do not use the space because they think they need to pay to enter.  Amosh (NY)Extracurricular activities are in short supply here. We don't have enough funding for field trips and we don't get to do internships, which is sad because they help students get hands-on experience in their preferred careers. We need more community-based initiatives like Global Kids to empower young people.  Makayla (NY)The extracurricular activities which students get access to all depend on what school you go to, resources and funding, and the student's economic background. It's very limiting, and can mean little access to activities that can advance you and get you interested in more than what's around in your neighbourhood.  Aida (London)There used to be more youth clubs but they got shut down after the Tory government got in. I'd like to see more spaces for young people that include a range of ages, as they have different needs. You've got teenagers who are hyper and excited, and 21-year-olds trying to figure out what they want to do with their life. You could have one building and one place for everyone to hang around in, but it could be versatile for all ages, with different floors and activities.  Lebohang (Jo'burg)In my area, there's a sports complex and a dance academy. I'd like a nearer swimming pool – the one we have is far away, but it's cheap and accessible for young people to use, which is great. We have lots of parks here so we don't get bored; we buy snacks and just hang out in the park.  Yara (London)In my area there isn't a lot going on, from art to music to community events. Every Saturday, there's an NHS van which comes and tests blood pressure levels for free. It's cool but that applies to the older generation more. There are farmers' markets too, but they are for older people. So we just head to the cinema or the 02 Arena; culturally, my area doesn't offer a lot.  Raíssa (Rio)We have lots of cultural events – that's something I can't complain about. There's always events to do with art, music, dance, sports, and sometimes it comes free or really cheap.  There are no libraries nearby and no centres for career guidance and support for those kids who have dropped out of the education system. The kids who stay in the street don't have guidance – but they need it the most. Even though they quit school, it doesn't mean they don't need support or education.  Monky (Jo'burg)I would build a library, because right now we have to walk a long way for the library and some entertainment. I would also build parks for kids to play so they don't play on the street.  Raíssa (Rio)If I was mayor of my city, I would solve some questions about education. Recently, Rio went through a period of change, when the population tried to solve some things with our government. But the education is still in trouble. We had lots of riots about the price of the buses, about the public education. For the first time in a long period, the teachers went on a strike that lasted for months. The government made some agreements to calm the citizens, but I think nothing is really solved. The thing I like least [about Rio] is the public education. It's a part of my city which is getting more and more forgotten. The public education is free, but it's horrible. Many schools don't have enough teachers and the classes are too crowded. If you want your children to have a good education, you have to pay.  Michel (Rio)I want a city with fewer cars and better public transport services. Less trash on the floor, better sanitation in the slums, the demilitarisation of culture in the slums, more leisure options, less pollution on beaches and less dishonesty among top politicians. I do not like the lack of sanitation in Rocinha. Sanitation in hundreds of slums in Rio de Janeiro has been a big problem since the 50s. In Rocinha, the federal government plans to build a cable car to equal the Complexo do Alemão cable car. But the residents of Rocinha are mobilised against the chairlift. They would prefer sanitation.  Lebohang (Jo'burg)Some of the parts of South Africa are not safe – like when you walk into an area where the houses are close to each other, and there are taller buildings with poorer people in, you can tell the difference. When I'm in those areas I don't feel very safe. The difference between those areas and my area is very visible, those areas are dirty, with rubbish on the floor, papers everywhere and plastic bottles. I think it will only change if the people in those areas take care of it more but the local government could help. Some of the people who live there think the government doesn't care about them any more, because when they look at their habitat, they see all the dirtiness and they feel like they have been left with no care.  Aida (London)All areas should be treated the same by councils and given the same attention and resources. You can't just spruce up one area and not the other. One example of that is street cleaning; when it's snowing, my area is just left covered in snow, but when I go to other area like Chelsea, it's cleaner. It feels like more affluent areas get special treatment. Don't get me wrong, the streets do get cleaned, the rubbish is collected. But we still have potholes that need to be sorted and buildings that need to be rebuilt or refurbished. To me, Brixton is a good example of vast improvement. Back in the day, people didn't feel safe or comfortable there; now look at it, all cleaned up and taken care of, and it's like a hipsters' hotspot. If we could do that to most of London, that would be fantastic. London is a beautiful city. Ideally, I would prefer to see less homelessness, more places to inspire young people to grow and find paths for their futures, a better education system that helped everyone and gave equal opportunities and resources to school in different boroughs. I'd like better work experience opportunities, centres which can teach people how to use money wisely, and more outdoor activities for all ages.  Yara (London)I would like the area to be cleaned up and more maintained, with less people on street corners doing bad stuff. I came back from Oxford Street earlier today into my area, and it's so different. The difference in buildings tells you exactly where you are – in my area the drains are busted, the paintwork is peeling, but in west London everything is clean, the buildings are white marble. My area is dirty. Then you stop and think, well, obviously drug dealers are going to be dealing here because people aren't about and there is no maintenance so they think it's OK for them to do that here. There's grey brickwork in my area, not white marble; the bricks have damp and mould around them because the drains are busted. There's bins everywhere, overflowing.  Makayla (NY)Make it popular. News about Brad Pitt and other celebrities is perpetuated in the media every day, but you don't see an article on climate change or the sea level rising every day, so maybe if it was more popular and in your face, there would be more community involvement. We're a very creative generation and we find different ways to interact with people through social media, music and TV, so if the eco message was channelled through these forms, people would take note.  Michel (Rio)The Rocinha slum is surrounded by forest of Tijuca – the largest urban forest in the world. The environment is very important; in Rio, the temperatures are unbearable, far too hot. I would like to create awareness programmes about how to safely recycle or dispose of plastic bottles, cooking oil, tyres and others. The gathering trash in Rocinha has huge negative effects and takes away from the greatness of the area.  Raíssa (Rio)My neighbourhood is one of the places that still has lots of trees. But nobody cares about recycling, people are not really educated for that. Some people use bikes, but there are a lot of cars. I really care about the environment – but everything about the environment and the danger of not taking care of it doesn't feel like a necessity, so nobody cares at all. Not only the children disregard it, but the adults too.  Amosh (NY)In our society, people tend to forget if something has not been talked about for a long time. Climate resilient infrastructure, global warming and the endless effect on our city is something we need to talk about – we need to hold symposiums and conferences, get more community involvement. For example, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, but I would have never been interested in magic and Hogwarts had I not read the books. So I think we need to incorporate environmental issues into books, pop songs and movies to get more youth involved, because those are the things we are into.  Jack (London)Yeah, I feel a responsibility. I know what my family before saw and experienced is different to me; if I saw a movie about the damaging effects of what we are doing to the Earth and how that will eventually affect us, I would be more aware. It would affect me to create changes.  Kafila (NY)I think it starts with just talking to one person, then it spreads. I remember over the summer, there was a competition for global awareness through the internet. People were encouraged to be more sustainable and there were different competitions and prizes; once you completed the challenges, you got a ticket to a concert with John Mayer, Alicia Keys and other great artists . So I think that if there is a reward for changing your lifestyle, people would get involved and things could change. Also, one of my favourite shows is Sherlock, so if Benedict Cumberbatch made a public announcement about environmental issues, people who love the show would be interested in that.  Makayla (NY)In New York, there's a lack of communication between the people who have connections to industry, information, career opportunities, etc, and the people who don't have them. Those who don't have those connections, they have to desperately search for the information they need. When I was trying to get involved in the environmental movement, I didn't have any connections to it, so I had to search and struggle to find something. Then finally Global Kids came to my school and said they had a programme for environmentalism. Without that, I would have been at a loss – there was nothing in my local area.  Yara (London)It depends what you grow up around. When I was in school, in science class we always talked about global warming and it was always something that was brought to my attention. But I guess in everyday life you don't really stop and think, is what I am doing benefiting the planet? I would like to see it implemented into law, so in your day-to-day endeavours it's something that you have to do – made part of your daily habits. In supermarkets at the moment you are encouraged to bring your own bags, but there's no law about it, so it's hard to create change – all bags should be recyclable and we should charge for plastic bags. Social media campaigns only help temporarily; we need to enforce it more so it becomes force of habit.  Aida (London)I think the council should do more to force good habits and not just give people the option to recycle. It should be mandatory.  Kafila (NY)If you look at the demographics of different neighbourhoods here, you'll see the resources they have are different – the community gardens, the kinds of stores, the carbon emissions that are put out. If you go to a store in a less affluent neighbourhood, generally with more people of colour, it's hard to find food that is organic, or any kind of healthy, sustainable food – and if it is stocked at all, the produce is often overgrown, full of pesticides, and doesn't look healthy. Instead you will see mostly liquor stores, fast-food restaurants and things that don't contribute positively to the environment. So sometimes different communities are disadvantaged not only because of the racial boundaries but also because of their financial boundaries. If there was equality, or at least some kind of balance, more people would be able to get involved with environmentalism and make more healthy, sustainable life choices.  Amosh (NY)I would love to see more green roofs and parks in the city, like the High Line. I would love to see the river and the water sources around the city kept clean. I would love to see more bike lanes, more public transport utilised rather than vehicles, and more green buildings.  Makayla (NY)There are opportunities for solar panels, and hydroelectricity too. NYC is a vulnerable place with climate change and the sea levels rising. I feel there could be more initiatives to protect the island. But there's still a big fear around alternative energies here; oil is what America has stuck to since forever, and going into something so unfamiliar as alternative energy – it confuses people. Also, you have to take into account the amount of money that oil companies make. Money and unfamiliarity have caused the taboo and bad stigma associated with alternative energy. As young people, we are very interested in environmentalism, but it's hard to connect others who are not so interested, or not so aware. It's hard to get people to see.
'Children are a kind of indicator species. If we can build a successful city for children, we will have a successful city for all people,' says Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogotá, credited with transforming his city. The Guardian talks to young people around the world about how they rate their home cities