BOW VALLEY – A Youth Climate Strike scheduled for this Friday (Sept. 20) will see young people and supporters alike across the valley leaving their classrooms and workplaces in a plea for climate action.
Stemming from Greta Thunberg’s call to action, the Friday strike, known as Fridays For Future, has become a global sensation encouraging school strikes as a means to affect change.
Here in the valley it’s catching on, including a march in solidarity out of clothing brant Patagonia's retail location in Banff.
“We will walk to Central Park and take a solidarity action photo by the Bow River to share our support with young people striking globally as part of Fridays for Future,” reads the description in the Facebook event.
“Our house is on fire. The climate crisis is an emergency, but we’re not acting like it. Invite your colleagues, friends, family, clubs, and community. We need everyone.”
On its website, Friday For Futures said children are striking because of a worsening climate.
“School children are required to attend school. But with the worsening climate destruction this goal of going to school begins to be pointless,” the website reads.
“Why study for a future, which may not be there? Why spend a lot of effort to become educated when our governments are not listening to the educated?”
The movement started after Thunberg sat in front of parliament in Sweden every day for three weeks after her school day finished in 2018. Thunberg was only 15 at the time and was protesting against a lack of action from her government on the climate crisis. Since then, the hashtags #FridaysForFuture and #ClimateStrike have trended all over the world with students in Ireland, the United States and here in the valley striking to advocate for action from all levels of government.
This coming Friday, strikes across the world will begin at varying times, with Patagonia’s in Banff to begin at their location at 8:30 a.m.
For more information on Fridays For Future, visit www.fridaysforfuture.org.
