This past summer, a 16-year old Swedish girl named Greta Thunberg sat outside the Swedish parliament building next to a sign that translates to “School strike for the climate.” She sat there everyday during school hours to protest her government’s inaction on climate change following a series of abnormal heat waves and wildfires in Sweden. Since then, Thunberg has inspired young people worldwide to take action on climate change by skipping school to protest.
This past Friday, students all over the UK followed in Thunberg’s footsteps by walking out of school to demonstrate their frustration over climate inaction. Another, larger, protest is planned for March 15-just a few weeks away. Protests have also been occurring all over continental Europe over the past couple of months, and some have even reached 45,000 demonstrators.
In the United States, a 13-year old New Yorker Alexandria Villasenor has been striking outside the United Nations since December, and she plans on spreading the action seen in Europe to the US. Since young people will live long enough to fully experience the devastating effects of climate change, it is very fitting that they should take action against it. If you are an interested student, consider striking on March 15- you never know how your actions will change the world.
Written by Isabel Lieberman, Class of 2021.
Hello,
Thank you for your comment, this past week was our spring break so there was no strike since classes weren’t in session. Hopefully there will be something next year!
Is anything being planned for the 15th? Not a student, but an alumnus who would like to show up in support!!
Al Power, ’76RC ’80Med, ’83Res