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PHOTOS: students walk out on climate change

Hundreds of local students skipped class on Friday to demand action be taken on global warming
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17-year-old LVR student Marot Sammartino leads local students as they chant “planet over profit” during a planned protest where they demanded action from local government on climate change. The students marched from city hall, along Vernon Street, up Cedar Street, along Baker Street, and down Ward Street back to city hall. Before the march local student leaders met with Mayor John Dooley and asked for increased funding for public transit and the city to do everything in its power to prevent a 1.5 degree increase in global temperature by 2030. The march was part of a global movement, Fridays for the Future. Photo: Jake Sherman

“Planet over profit.”

You could hear those words reverberating off the brick buildings on Baker Street on Friday as hundreds of local students skipped class and marched to demand local government take action on climate change. It was the second such protest by local students in recent months.

Related: Nelson students skip classes for climate action

Before the protest local student leaders met with Mayor John Dooley where they demanded the municipality increase funding for public transportation, and that it take action to reduce emissions to prevent a 1.5 degree temperature increase by 2030.

Sarah Boyer, the Salmo Youth Program Coordinator came out with her 10-year-old daughter Savanah.

She told the Star the government is not doing enough to create effective change.

“I’m extremely fearful for my own children and the upcoming generations,” said Boyer.

“Our government and the local government don’t take enough action to confront the climate crisis and our youth are bombarded with negative news. I bring them to these events so they can see there’s a way to do something about it, and that people of their generation are standing up. As a mother, I feel I need to stand with them.”

Jackson Giroux was also there with his nine-year-old son Duncan, who carried a sign that read, “Herbivores are cooler.”

Giroux said change begins with young people.

“We think it’s time. We can’t sit on our butts anymore,” said Giroux. “If we have opinions and messages to share with other people we’ve got to do it. It all starts with the kids.”

In a letter to the editor, student leaders addressed their reasons for marching.

“Why study for the future when you don’t know if it will exist? Students are not climate scientists, and we don’t have all the answers, but we do know that climate change needs to be addressed yesterday,” they wrote.

Both protests were part of a global movement, Fridays For the Future.

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Wa-ya Aeon, 21, leads local students as they picket city hall on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Students from across the West Kootenay picket local government on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Local students skip class to picket local government on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Students from across the West Kootenay picket local government outside of city hall on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Keshet Hager, 11, a Mount Sentinel student from Slocan, pickets local government on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Duncan Giroux, 9, pickets city hall on climate change. “If we have opinions and messages we have to share them with other people. It all starts with the kids,” said Duncan’s dad, Jackson.
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Randy Cofer, Julius Huber, 9, and Adrian Huber came out in support of the environment during a student led protest at city hall. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Local students march to picket local government on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Local students from across the West Kootenay skip class and march along Vernon Street to picket local government on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Liam Burns, 13, and Tatum Gotdanker, 14, picket local government on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Local students from across the West Kootenay skip class and march up Cedar Street to picket local government on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Marot Sammartino, 17, leads local students as the chant, “planet over profit,” while marching along Vernon Street during a planned protest action to picket city hall on climate change. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Randy Cofer, from Silverton, and Sally Hammond, from Slocan Lake, came out to support local youth as they picketed city hall on climate change on Friday. “I think that the youth of the world may be the ones to save us all,” said Hammond. “I think their our only chance.” Photo: Jake Sherman
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Front row: Aur Hager, Netta Hager, Chloe Tesorieire, Sevy Bayes. Back row: Linda Earl, Christina Lake, Mona Southron, Nelson, Sally Hammon, Slocan Lake. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Sally Hammond, Slocan Lake, Sarah Boyer, and Savanah Boyer, 10, picket city hall on climate change on Friday. Photo: Jake Sherman
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Duncan Giroux, 9, and Jackson Giroux, picket city hall on climate change. “It all starts with the kids,” said Giroux. Photo: Jake Sherman