Global Climate Strike on September 20th Plus

by Duane Nichols on September 16, 2019

It isn’t easy being green, just better

Back to School, to Strike for Climate! School-age children are protesting for new policies

Article by Meenal Raval, The Grid (Philly), September 10, 2019

It’s September. With summer vacations almost over, children are getting ready to go back to school. And this year, back to school means back to an event called, “School Strike for Climate.”

There’s a Global Climate Strike planned for Friday, September 20, days before the United Nations Climate Summit in New York City on September 23. The Global Climate Strike invites people of all ages to strike—by refusing to attend work and school—to disrupt the social order and to push our governments to act on the climate emergency we find ourselves in. Imagine the distruption possible when both young and old join forces.

Started in August 2018 by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg of Sweden camping outside local government offices until they treat the climate crisis like the emergency it is, the movement has spread like wildfire—to Europe, Australia and within 4 months, the rest of the world. The School Strike for Climate is dubbed Youth Climate Strike US, and locally, Climate Strike PA.

Why are our youth in the United States striking? Because we have only 11 years to prevent even worse effects of climate change. Their platform lists demands of the federal, state and local governments:

>>> A Green New Deal

>>> A declaration of a national climate emergency

>>> Compulsory education about the climate crisis

>>> Preservation of our public lands & wildlife

>>> Deem access to clean water a human right

Locally, I’ve met many young people inspired by Greta, who rise for climate.

Led by youth — Sabirah Mahmud, a high school student who organized the Climate Strike rallies first in March and then again in May, launched a boot camp in July for youth new to Climate Strike PA.

“The climate crisis is going to affect us all in different ways and it’s so important for us to take action,” Mahmud says.

With 30 new people attending the organization’s boot camp—where students learned about civil disobedience, the climate crisis and more—the September school strike for climate is expected to bring more people. Mahmud tells us they may plan a march in Center City Philadelphia that morning. With details still being worked out as of this writing, the Climate Strike PA team asks interested parties to follow it on social media.

“Let’s make September 20th the biggest strike to ever take place and make our governments accountable for their inaction against this global crisis,” she says.

Mahmud also asks youth all over Pennsylvania to get their own school involved and “champion for a strike” wherever they are by contacting Climate Strike PA.

Calling all kids! — Over Memorial Day weekend, 12-year-old Hadassah Weinmartin organized the “first meeting ever” of the Sunrise Movement’s Northwest Philly hub. This first house party brought in 25 of her friends, and 10 of their parents.

Since that first hub meeting, Weinmartin has organized another local meeting, as well as a presidential debate watch party. She’s the youngest with the Sunrise Philly team.

Her message to us? “You’re never too young to make a difference.”

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Frank Anastasia September 16, 2019 at 8:28 am

I KNOW THAT YOU APPRECIATE SCIENCE AND HISTORY ……

Greenhouse effect – Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_effect

HISTORY —

The existence of the greenhouse effect was argued for by Joseph Fourier in 1824. The argument and the evidence were further strengthened by Claude Pouillet in 1827 and 1838 and reasoned from experimental observations by John Tyndall in 1859, who measured the radiative properties of specific greenhouse gases. The effect was more fully quantified by Svante Arrhenius in 1896, who made the first quantitative prediction of global warming due to a hypothetical doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, the term “greenhouse” was not used to refer to this effect by any of these scientists; the term was first used in this way by Nils Gustaf Ekholm in 1901.

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Earthjustice September 18, 2019 at 4:23 pm

Dear Friends,

This is the story of Sarah Goody, a high school freshman who is striking to bring attention to the climate crisis. Sarah’s story is similar to that of thousands of young people across the planet who are fighting for their futures.

She says: “If these politicians and these leaders aren’t taking action, what are we supposed to do? Stand back and watch our planet just burn? I couldn’t do that.”

We’re at a turning point. The warnings from experts have become increasingly dire, and the devastating impacts of climate change are becoming more visible in every corner of our country and across the world. And we’re running out of time.

These youth leaders are saying “Our house is on fire — let’s act like it.” So, this Friday the 20th, Earthjustice will join young people around the world for the Global Climate Strike to demand bold action on the climate crisis.

And we can’t stop there. It’s time to go Zero to 100 on climate. That means moving as fast as possible to zero emissions and 100% clean energy. Earthjustice and our partners are using the power of the law to stand up to polluters, advance clean energy solutions, protect public health, and fight for justice for the planet and its people.

We have a decade to avoid climate catastrophe. Will you join us?

Jill Tauber, Earthjustice,
Vice President of Litigation for Climate and Energy

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