Like Leif Erikson 1,000 years ago, 16-year-old Swede Greta Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic to America on Aug. 28. She came not to conquer the New World, but to defeat what may be the most daunting challenge mankind has ever faced, the coming climate catastrophe. Every Friday since August of last year, Thunberg has skipped school to go to the Swedish parliament and demand climate action, and now she\u2019s carrying that message to the United Nations. <\/p>\n
The Greatest Generation may have taken on the Great Depression and World War II, but that was child\u2019s play compared to what the current younger generation will be facing if we don\u2019t do something about the greenhouse gases we\u2019re pumping into the atmosphere. Youngsters like Thunberg and 12-year-old Haven Coleman of Denver aren\u2019t waiting for their elders to act. They\u2019re taking matters into their own hands.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why organizations worldwide seeking to reverse the effects of climate change are following Thunberg\u2019s lead and planning a strike, where workers and students walk out of their workplaces and schools and demand climate action. On Friday, Sept. 20, 350 Roaring Fork is putting together such an event at Sopris Park in Carbondale at noon for about an hour. <\/p>\n
Youth participation is crucial. Their future is at stake. We baby boomers will all be dead by the time the full effects of the climate crisis hits. 350 Roaring Fork, with a lot of help from their friends, is reaching out to the local schools for their approval and consent. We\u2019d like the majority of the speakers to be students. If a few teachers want to join in, that\u2019d be great.<\/p>\n
Maybe you don\u2019t want your children to cut even one class. Consider this, Greta Thunberg has been ditching Fridays for over a year now, and if you\u2019ve heard her speak, you know her language skills haven\u2019t suffered. Her knowledge of climate science demonstrates she\u2019s not falling behind in math and science, either. <\/p>\n
We encourage all participants to walk, ride bikes or take public transportation to the event. Eagle Crest Nursery in El Jebel is offering 40% off on all tree sales on that date.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t the climate change deniers love their children, too? I know we do, and we\u2019d like to leave them with a planet that\u2019s at least as healthy as the one we inherited.<\/p>\n