By Moss Pelvin | Posted: Wednesday April 14, 2021
Our Earth faces irreversible ecological damage because of climate change.
The globe is heating, animals are losing their habitats and our ice caps are melting. It is we school students, the adults of the next generation, who will take a stand for our futures.
Last Friday, in the School Strike for Climate march, thousands of school students across Aotearoa joined together to protest the government’s insufficient action. The Strike was part of a worldwide movement aiming to place pressure on governments to act, and act swiftly.
Otago Boys’ High School students proudly joined the protest in the Octagon, sacrificing time in school to engage with matters we believe to be vital. The event was a success: it was well organised, inclusive and even attended by members of the Dunedin City Council. The striking students demanded the cessation of fossil fuel usage, that the Climate Change Commission’s report be acted upon, that the farming community be aided to transition to sustainable farming practices and that climate change and sustainability education be a necessary part of the New Zealand educational curriculum.
Taking an active part in societal change through protest is a valuable lesson to all students, but even more valuable is expressing our wholehearted commitment to ensuring a beneficial and survivable future for all. Change must be made, and fast, before it is too late for all of us.