Copyright CBS News
Billie Eilish, an award-winning singer who recently called on billionaires to donate more of their wealth, gave money to a youth climate leadership program in Howard County. The Grammy and Oscar winner donated $11,000 to the local non-profit Howard County Conservancy's Youth Climate Institute (YCI). "This is a huge vote of confidence for YCI," said Meg Boyd, YCI Executive Director. "Billie Ellish's commitment to climate action and amplifying youth voices aligns perfectly with our goals. Our student ambassadors are elated to have their work recognized by Billie, who uses her platform for climate justice and sustainability." What is YCI? YCI is a high school program that was founded at the Howard County Conservancy in Howard County in 2020, the organization says. According to YCI, the program has worked with more than 700 students and now has 50 active chapters in 10 states. The programs combine climate education and action to prepare students to become effective environmental stewards, pursue green jobs, and combat the climate crisis, the non-profit says. Sarah Kc, a YCI Certified Ambassador with Honors and a recent high school graduate, said the gift from Eilish can be impactful in the fight to protect the planet. "Having Billie Eilish support our work is incredibly meaningful; she's an icon for our generation, and her recognition shows young climate activists that we're not alone in this fight," she said. "It gives me hope that together we can create the change our planet needs." Who is Billie Eilish? Eilish is a singer-songwriter and rose to fame in 2015 with her hit "Ocean Eyes." She won Grammy Awards in 2020 for Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Album. She won awards for her debut album, "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" and her hit song "Bad Guy." Eilish won an Academy Award for the song "What Was I Made For" for the Barbie movie soundtrack. Call for the ultra-wealthy to donate to the world's issues Last week, Eilish urged the ultra-wealthy to address more of the world's issues after accepting a music award at the WSJ. Magazine Innovator Awards, according to CBS News. "We're in a time right now where the world is really, really bad and really dark, and people need empathy and help more than, kind of, ever, especially in our country," Eilish said. "I'd say if you have money, it would be great to use it for good things, maybe give it to some people who need it."
