Climate Strike On Friday
By John Swartz
Orillia Youth will be joining those in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver Friday – and others in 150 countries around the world – in a global climate strike.
In a week when world leaders met in New York for the United Nations Climate Action Summit and Canada in the middle of an election where the government is in the pipeline business; Conservatives and the People’s parties are running on scrapping the carbon tax and advocating business as usual toward the oil industry; and the Christian Heritage Party saying coal can become useful again; young people are demanding action.
Climate Strike Orillia has had several demonstrations this year and is involved with one taking place Friday at City Hall. Below is a letter and video issued this week.
Dear adults:
This letter is your wake-up call. This is the sign you’ve been looking for.
The climate crisis is happening right now. Not in 12 years, not in 5 years, now.
The ice caps are melting, the forests are burning, the air is polluted, the water is contaminated, the animals are dying, and the fish are full of plastic. If this isn’t scaring you, we don’t know what will. The science has been clear for over 30 years, there are no more excuses to continue to deny and ignore it.
This is a unifying moment. When the history books are telling the story about how the world burned or how we all came together and saved it, where are you in that story? Did you stand by and watch, or did you stand up for children and youth and do something?
We cannot ignore this issue any longer, and we refuse to continue to sit idle. We are fighting, and we won’t stop until we have climate justice. We will not stop until there is no more ground to stand on. We will not stop until there is no more clean water to drink. We will not stop until there is no more breathable air. We will not stop until we die. But please, do not let it get to that point. Join us now, while we still have a fighting chance. Join us now, before it’s too late.
This is your invitation as we advocate for strong climate action and livable futures. This Friday, September 27th, we are asking EVERYONE to walk from 12 – 1pm at Orillia City Hall (50 Andrew St). The climate strike movement started as a youth-led movement and now with over 2,000 scientists in 4,500 locations in 150 countries, we are asking you to join the biggest social movement the world has ever seen to tackle the climate crisis. Give us your lunch break to give us a future. We need you.
Desperately,
Orillia Youth