Nelson students stage School Strike to promote Climate Change
By Nelson Daily Staff
Students in the West Kootenay will join hands with others around the world during a school climate strike, Monday, March 4 outside City Hall on Ward Street.
Inspired by 16-year old Greta Thunberg of Sweden, local students will be joining the tens of thousands of youth around the world who have been striking in recent months.
“I felt compelled to do something because I think it is time, we start seeing larger and more immediate changes within our local communities,” said Daniela Sirois Ennis, 16, who is one of the organizers of the event.
The Nelson event will run from noon to 3 p.m.
“There are no excuses as to why change couldn’t start tomorrow,” Sirois adds. “By the year 2050, I will only be 47 years old. It is absurd that we should have to wait so long to achieve our climate goals. We cannot afford to wait any longer to solve such consequential problems, while they are growing larger by the day.”
Co-organizer of the Nelson rally, Alyssa Taburiaux, said scientists have been sounding the alarm that there is less than 12 years to cut emissions in half to avoid catastrophic change.
“Everyone will be impacted, especially the younger generations,” Taburiaux, said. “The IPCC report that came out last October was clear and terrifying.”
Sirois and Taburiaux first met at the multi-day YOUth LEADing the World Congress held at Selkirk College in October 2017. The conference focused on inspiring youth to take positive action in their community.
Students attending are urged to bring signs and positive energy to this peaceful gathering.
Thunberg started striking for the climate last August. Many of the strikes around the world happen on Fridays using the hashtag #FridaysforFuture.
Local climate strikers are planning the Nelson strike for a Monday because Nelson City Council plans to discuss the urgency of climate change during their meeting later that day.
The media release said the youth are requesting a meeting with the mayor on the day of their strike so they can discuss why they are skipping school to raise awareness about the climate crisis.
Every week there are hundreds of school strikes happening around the world. Canadian youths have been striking every month since November 2018. A nation-wide school strike is happening on Friday, May 3.
