Lewis Hamilton is a six-time Formula One World Champion, but he’s on track to make an impact beyond the sport. He appeared at WE Day UK on March 4, 2020, to urge young people to take action on the global climate crisis. Backstage, he opened up about discovering his new purpose and using his platform to raise awareness.

This year, we celebrate the 50th annual Earth Day. The first Earth Day, in 1970, changed the world, helping launch the modern environmental movement. This year, events in 184 countries were set to draw more than one billion people. And then COVID-19 happened.

Now we’re marking Earth Day in our homes, physically distancing, likely distracted by other issues, from the pandemic to the economic downturn. But climate change hasn’t gone away. And Hamilton’s words serve as a reminder that we have a collective responsibility to future generations—and individual power to make a difference.

“It’s going to take all of us to come together, being united, to make small changes in our lives,” he says. “We’re so fortunate to have and occupy this planet, so we better start treating it right.”