On Friday, Sept. 20, the country went on strike. Millions of people walked out of their schools and workplaces to demand that politicians act on climate change.
It is too often the loudest voices, the voices of money and power, that control policymaking and thus control our future. The climate crisis is overwhelming, and the absence of a perfect, inarguable solution has led us to a standstill. Inaction on climate change has already harmed millions around the world. We ran out of time to be complacent long ago.
This Friday, youths around the world demanded that politicians act for all of our futures. We brought our voices together, so that the call for environmental justice is louder than the voice of the status quo. We are asking for: A Green New Deal, respect for indigenous lands and sovereignty, environmental justice, protection for biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture.
Supporters of the movement can get involved in politics — and remember that the fight for climate justice extends beyond term limits. We have to change our culture. Consume mindfully, drive less, eat consciously, and so on.
Importantly, we have to resist the temptation to do nothing in the face of something so overwhelming.
Meghan Hurley
(21 years old)
Waterville
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.