A Global Climate Strike Led By Greta Thunberg Is the Kind of Action We Need

Today, in New York, the Global Climate Strike will kick off a weeklong series of strikes and protests timed to match the United Nations’ Climate Action Summit, which begins this coming Monday. With the school district saying that students can’t be penalized for missing school to attend the event, expect a huge turn-out to support Thunberg, who’ll be speaking publicly in Battery Park today at 5 pm.

Similarly, several other countries have seen strikes of their own. The Guardian reports that students in England, India, France, and other countries have also been protesting, making this a truly global strike. Students of all ages are striking, which in my opinion is a fairly strong case that Gen Z is kicking some serious ass and deserve to not be laughed at by boomers.

If you don’t think climate change is real, you’re reading the wrong site. We are in a state of climate emergency, and things keep getting scarier. Seeing action taken on such a large scale like the Global Climate Strike is empowering, because it speaks to change actually happening. It might seem easier to give into despair, but as long as Thunberg and others are fighting, we can keep pushing for change too.

And change goes beyond changing our personal habits to be more green. Change has to come on a larger scale and impact the corporations and countries that are responsible for the biggest emissions. We can’t just sit back and hope the situation will work itself out without actual change. At some point, either we as a species have to change the world or the world will change at our expense. No one wants doomsday prophecies on a Friday, but it’s the truth.

But, since it is Friday, have some photos of the best signs from the global strike to lighten the mood. And remember to vote, take action, and listen to activists like Thunberg. But especially vote. Voting is important.

You can also check out more photos at The Guardian.

(image: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)

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Kate Gardner

Kate (they/them) says sorry a lot for someone who is not sorry about the amount of strongly held opinions they have. Raised on a steady diet of The West Wing and classic film, they are now a cosplayer who will fight you over issues of inclusion in media while also writing coffee shop AU fanfic for their favorite rare pairs.