Seattle Youth Gather at Cal Anderson To Protest Government Inaction on Climate Change

by Susan Fried

Signs reading “There is no Planet B” and “Our Future is Being Sacrificed” dotted a crowd of youth who sat on the grass at Cal Anderson Park on a beautiful Friday morning in Seattle. Hundreds of young people from dozens of Seattle schools showed up at Cal Anderson Park to show solidarity with the millions of youth walking out of their classrooms across the globe to let their governments and older people know that it’s time to take climate change seriously.

Several of the Youth organizers spoke about their fears for the future and the need to hold elected officials accountable for saving the planet for future generations. King County Executive Dow Constantine talked about his long standing support of climate change legislation and two candidates for Seattle City Council Shaun Scott and Tammy Morales emphasized the urgency of doing something now. Morales talked about having had a conversation with her 11 year old son where he expressed the fear that he would die young because of the dire predictions about the future of the planet. She said the conversation with her son brought home how important it is for adults and people in positions of power to fight for the environment.

_Climate Strike 1-1 — Hundreds of young people gathered at Cal Anderson Park on March 15 for the Seattle Climate Strike. The students in Seattle joined millions of youth across the world holding a Global Climate Strike to emphasize the need to do something about Climate Change, so the planet can survive for future generations.

_Climate Strike 10-1 — The young people in Seattle joined millions of youth across the world holding a Global Climate Strike to emphasize the need to do something about Climate Change. Students left their schools to gather at Cal Anderson Park. (Photo: Susan Fried)

_Climate Strike 12-1 — Shaun Scott, a candidate for Seattle City Council Position 4, speaks to a hundreds of young people gathered at Cal Anderson Park for the Seattle Climate Strike. The youth-led event was one of hundreds held across the world to draw attention to the need to take action against climate change. (Photo: Susan Fried)

_Climate Strike 2-1 — Seattle students descended on Cal Anderson Park for a rally March 15 along with similar protests held throughout the world that day. (Photo: Susan Fried)

_Climate Strike 7-1 — Taro Moore, 12, talks about his concern for the future of the earth during the Seattle Climate Strike, March 15, at Cal Anderson Park. Moore, a student at Kenmore Middle School joined hundreds of Seattle-area young people at the event. (Photo: Susan Fried)

_Climate Strike 4-1 — A student’s sign reads “There Is No Planet B” at a climate change rally at Cal Anderson Park. Students left school to join the rally and call for stronger action to combat climate change. (Photo: Susan Fried)

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Featured Image: Students react to a speaker during the March 15 Seattle Climate Strike at Cal Anderson Park. The youth-led event was one of hundreds of Climate Strikes held across the world to draw attention for the need to take action against climate change (Photo: Susan Fried)

One thought on “Seattle Youth Gather at Cal Anderson To Protest Government Inaction on Climate Change”

Karl Alex Pauls says:

March 16, 2019 at 10:14 am

We are right to be concerned. During COP21 in Paris the nations pledged to a modest amount of conservation and emissions reductions. We realized we needed our IPCC to give us a concise formula for how to beat 1.5° C. They did in the “Special Report on 1.5° C.”

This report tells us exactly what our options are and 3 of the 4 plans require a large technological investment and carbon capture technology. 600 environmental groups signed a letter from “Friends of the Earth” which demands the Green New Deal exclude CCS.

Worse, the only plan that excludes CCS will restrict economic growth in the developing world and delay the global end to poverty. This last plan also requires an investment in nuclear energy which the FOTE letter demands ending.