A small group of young people stood outside Nelson City Hall on Friday as part of a global youth climate strike. The focus this year, said Jamie Hunter, is on finance.
“People are demanding governments stop funding corporations to continue to fund activities that exacerbate climate change.”
He said young people around the world were demonstrating on March 3, all with this same theme. Hunter said they were on the street in solidarity with a global movement.
Asked about the small number of people at the Nelson demonstration, Hunter said even a small group can help people see climate change is still an issue.
Group member Waya Aeon said they want to help to expand the Overton window, a concept that refers to the range of ideas the public is willing to consider and accept.
He said we all exist inside a bubble of ideas that we perceive as possible and relevant, but this bubble needs to expand.
“It is important that people get exposure to this conversation (about climate change) as frequently as possible, so when they are exposed to novel actions they are more comfortable with the change.”
Oscar Hunter said he wants to remind people that climate change is still happening, activism is still relevant, and that the group is back on the street after a long pause.
“We have not had a strike like this for a long time. I know that people forget this kind of thing, especially if they are not heavily involved. When they are reminded of it, it doesn’t matter if it’s two or 15 or 200, it tells people it is an issue and people who are driving by on the road get to see that people are still doing something.”
“It shows that someone cares,” said Clee Anderson, another member of the group.
Local youth climate activists have been busy in the last few years.
In 2019, they rallied close to 1,000 people in a downtown demonstration. Later that same year, they gathered about 100 young people in front of City Call.
In 2020, more than 100 youth rallied in Lakeside Park and on the Nelson Bridge, physically distanced because of the pandemic.
In 2019 and 2020, a pair of youth activists demonstrated one day per week in front of city hall for more than 53 weeks straight. In 2021, two Nelson youth attended the COP26 United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
READ MORE:
• Nelson youth activists find optimism, frustration at COP26
• Nelson youth group demonstrates and marches for climate action
• Nelson youth climate strikers reach 53 weeks, plan public event Sept. 25
• Youth climate march lines Nelson’s bridge
• PHOTOS: Nelson climate strike packs downtown to demand action