Ali Al-Hanaswi December 2019
“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” proclaimed Greta Thunberg in her passionate speech before world leaders at the UN in New York, “and yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying.”
The 16 year-old Swedish activist gave her speech at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, where plans to prevent the average global temperature from rising by more than 1.5ºC were announced. She did so after her 15 day transatlantic voyage by boat, which she undertook to raise awareness for the massive emissions caused by flying.
Her intense speech spread across social media like wildfire, inspiring students across the world to take part in strikes and walk-ins at their own schools. At Woodlands, a walk-in for the climate took place on Friday, October the 18th; an event which went in line with a walk-in at nearby Celebration Square. That day, dozens of students and staff attended the walk-in, taking time to carry posters, chant, and get the attention of passing drivers. The reason? Students across the country were protesting the Canadian government and corporations’ inaction and current dismissive attitude towards the climate crisis. This included not just global warming and greenhouse gases, but also air pollution, ocean plastic pollution, and deforestation of the Amazon.
“You are failing us,” Greta Thunberg concluded, “but the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you, and if you choose to fail us, I say: we will never forgive you.”
The Liberal party, which has won the 2019 election with 46% of parliament’s seats, aims to address the issue by discounting corporate taxes for companies that create products with zero emissions. Whether this will be effective enough to halt or reverse the current situation is uncertain.
As the climate crisis comes to a head, becoming involved in climate activism becomes more vital to the future of this planet. If you want to make a difference at our school, the Environmental Council, which runs events to raise awareness for the environment, meets every Tuesday, second half of lunch in room 212. We also encourage you to make changes in your life to reduce your effect on the environment, and to encourage others in your community to do the same. Hopefully, our combined efforts, big and small, can make a significant difference in fighting the climate crisis.
The Woodstock encourages you to do your part to solve this global crisis. Please check out local charities and organizations to find out what you can do today.
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