On September 24, 2021, at the Orange City Hall, there was a climate change strike led by three siblings, 19-year-old Johanna, 17-year-old Jonathan, and 13-year-old Julius Speiser. This strike was one of many throughout the United States, inspired by the global strike led by Greta Thunberg. Young people all over the world took to the streets and demanded change; this was the first climate change strike since the pandemic. 

Johanna and I sat down and took a few moments to address these issues. ¨I believe it is important to go out in the streets because the climate crisis has been going on for many years now, and all we get from politicians is empty promises. In 2015 global leaders agreed to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees about pre-industrial levels, we are currently at 1.2 degrees, and there is still no coherent plan in sight.¨

Johanna shares that ¨The climate crisis is a systemic issue. It must be addressed at a systemic level. That being said, we need to create a society that is willing to change and move forward. There are many things you can do as an individual; three main things would be protesting, targeting politicians directly (ask change from congress members of your area), and lastly try to eat less meat. I don’t ask of you to become vegan or vegetarian, but if you can reduce your consumption of meat would be a big step to change.¨, said Johanna. Climate change is an EMERGENCY. As long as we are alive, we can make a change. ¨

Contacting Politicians in our area would help bring the concern to them.  It would help them realize that they have to care because the public cares.

But why is it important? We live in the now; the future is determined by our actions for a better tomorrow—a future for the next generations. We can’t keep on being selfish and not thinking about the consequences. About 50 people attended the strike. As the crowd walked around the orange circle and chanted, others stared in disbelief. I, the reporter, was asked by a lady in her mid 60’s if I was a part of the big group. As I said yes, she started to ask me questions about what we were doing. I answered her, and she looked confused and oblivious to what climate change was. She wanted to learn, though, which gave hope. Hope for change in our system.