High school stuÂdents across the Twin Cities staged a walkÂout to deÂmand acÂtion on cliÂmate change FriÂday, meetÂing en masse at the State Capitol to press lawmakers on the isÂsue.
"We need to cause an upÂroar," said Maya Sprenger-Otto, an organizer and student at Washburn High School in Minneapolis, addressing a crowd of several hundred teens on the Capitol steps. "We won't be stopped until substantial change is made."
FriÂday's stuÂdent "strike" in the Twin Cities was part of a wave of youth-led cliÂmate demÂonÂstraÂtions across the globe. SimÂiÂlar walkÂouts, inÂspired by a proÂtest staged by a SwedÂish teen, were held in more than 100 citÂies worldÂwide, with some rallies atÂtractÂing tens of thouÂsands of marchÂers.
In Minnesota, students also gathered in Duluth and Rochester.
Students at the St. Paul ralÂly said their goal is to send a mesÂsage to lawmakers that they want imÂmeÂdiÂate change to proÂtect their fuÂture. Many cited a 2018 UnitÂed NaÂtions reÂport on cliÂmate change callÂing for "rapid and far-reachÂing" chanÂges to slow gloÂbal warmÂing in the comÂing years. FailÂure to act, authors cauÂtioned, will reÂsult in dire and irÂreÂversÂible conÂseÂquences for both the enÂviÂronÂment and the world's popÂuÂlaÂtion.
Ruthie HotÂtingÂer, a seventh-grader from ShoreÂview, worÂries that "things are getÂting out of conÂtrol and it's scary." Three friends told her in the last week that they don't want to have chilÂdren beÂcause they fear the efÂfects of cliÂmate change will have on the world, she said.
"In my fuÂture I see a world that's safe to live in and smilÂing faces all around," HotÂtingÂer, 13, told the crowd. But that's not going to hapÂpen if you and I don't stand up for what we want and what we need."
Max SherÂman, a seniÂor at De La SalÂle High School, echoed those calls for imÂmeÂdiÂate acÂtion.
"We need to get inÂvolved and show the govÂernÂment that we can't just stand back while we basÂiÂcalÂly have 11 years left to save the planÂet and save ourÂselves," said SherÂman, who took Metro Transit to the ralÂly along with 80 of his peers from the priÂvate Catholic high school. Like many othÂer groups, SherÂman and his classÂmates orÂganÂized their walkÂout plans using soÂcial meÂdiÂa and word of mouth.
The hunÂdreds of sign-carryÂing stuÂdents gathÂered at the Capitol brought a long list of polÂicy deÂmands. Teen orÂganÂizÂers said a naÂtionÂal emÂerÂgenÂcy on cliÂmate is long oÂverÂdue. They called for acÂtion on clean waÂter, cliÂmate edÂuÂcaÂtion in schools and pasÂsage of the Green New Deal, a sweepÂing fedÂerÂal resÂoÂluÂtion foÂcused on reÂnewÂaÂble enÂerÂgy, health care and jobs. On the state level, the stuÂdents urged pasÂsage of a bill manÂdatÂing 100 percent reÂnewÂaÂble enÂerÂgy use by 2050 and an end to the EnÂbridge Line 3 oil pipeÂline reÂplaceÂment proÂject.
"If acÂtion isn't takÂen now, it will be our mess to clean up," said FarÂrah Bergstrom, a sophoÂmore at Wayzata High School who has worked on proÂgresÂsive camÂpaigns since age 13. "It's imÂperÂaÂtive that leadÂers and legisÂlaÂtors in this Capitol recÂogÂnize our deep conÂcern for cliÂmate change. This isn't a disÂtant isÂsue, it's someÂthing that's going to have very seÂvere inÂfluÂence on us in the near fuÂture."
Beyond those imÂmeÂdiÂate goals, stuÂdent acÂtivÂists said they hope to spark a broadÂer culÂturÂal shift. Some of the loudÂest cheers came as speakÂers made the case that the impacts of cliÂmate change go beÂyond the enÂviÂronÂment and the ecÂonÂomy. At it's heart, they said, it's an isÂsue of raÂcial jusÂtice and equiÂty.
"This moveÂment needs to be difÂferÂent in terms of we should be workÂing with marÂginÂalÂized comÂmuÂniÂties. No one knows our strugÂgle like we do," said youth radio host BritÂney ChiÂno, a stuÂdent acÂtivÂist with Young Peoples AcÂtion Coalition St. Paul. "I saw a postÂer earliÂer toÂday sayÂing cliÂmate change does not afÂfect all eÂqualÂly, and that is the truth."
Public oÂpinÂion surÂveys suggest cliÂmate change is a moÂbiÂlizÂing force for young voters, who went to the polls in reÂcord numÂbers in 2018. MarchÂers said they exÂpect the isÂsue to be a top priÂorÂiÂty for their voting-age peers in the upÂcomÂing eÂlecÂtion. Signs readÂing "Vote the cowÂards out!" and "DeÂniÂal is not polÂicy" floatÂed above the crowd.
"We've shown our powÂer and we do not plan to stop," said Sprenger-Otto, who plans to cast her first balÂlot next year. "That will be carÂried out into 2020 and beÂyond."
Torey Van Oot • 651-925-5049