“Planet over profit.”
You could hear those words reverberating off the brick buildings on Baker Street on Friday as hundreds of local students skipped class and marched to demand local government take action on climate change. It was the second such protest by local students in recent months.
Related: Nelson students skip classes for climate action
Before the protest local student leaders met with Mayor John Dooley where they demanded the municipality increase funding for public transportation, and that it take action to reduce emissions to prevent a 1.5 degree temperature increase by 2030.
Sarah Boyer, the Salmo Youth Program Coordinator came out with her 10-year-old daughter Savanah.
She told the Star the government is not doing enough to create effective change.
“I’m extremely fearful for my own children and the upcoming generations,” said Boyer.
“Our government and the local government don’t take enough action to confront the climate crisis and our youth are bombarded with negative news. I bring them to these events so they can see there’s a way to do something about it, and that people of their generation are standing up. As a mother, I feel I need to stand with them.”
Jackson Giroux was also there with his nine-year-old son Duncan, who carried a sign that read, “Herbivores are cooler.”
Giroux said change begins with young people.
“We think it’s time. We can’t sit on our butts anymore,” said Giroux. “If we have opinions and messages to share with other people we’ve got to do it. It all starts with the kids.”
In a letter to the editor, student leaders addressed their reasons for marching.
“Why study for the future when you don’t know if it will exist? Students are not climate scientists, and we don’t have all the answers, but we do know that climate change needs to be addressed yesterday,” they wrote.
Local students picket Nelson city hall on climate change. pic.twitter.com/r1eagLVrHs
— Jake Sherman (@Jnsherms) May 3, 2019
Both protests were part of a global movement, Fridays For the Future.
