Thousands of people marched to the Capitol on Friday to kick off a week of climate crisis awareness demonstrations. Though many of the protesters were too young to vote, they weren’t too young to tell the nation’s legislators about the urgent need to enact laws and policies that will arrest and reverse the threat that climate change poses to the planet they’ll inherit. The Prospect spoke to a number of children and found out what and who inspired them to turn out.
Brittany Gibson
Friends Rebecca and Kate, age 13
“We really care about the environment, obviously,” Rebecca says. “We just really care about getting to have our future and making sure the oceans are clean, the trees are healthy, the environment is healthy, the soil is healthy, everything is going well—because there is no Planet B.”
Biggest Inspiration: “Greta [Thunberg],” Kate says, referring to the 16-year-old climate activist, who will address the 2019 U.N. Climate Action Summit next Monday. “She would leave school every Friday to go petition in front of her council building, where she lived, so that’s definitely an inspiration for both of us.”
Rebecca adds, “I really like that she’s speaking up for what she believes in, even though she’s young and people are going against her, and even when people say she shouldn’t do things, she still will do it.”
Brittany Gibson
Malaika, age 9
“I wanted to help protect the Earth because I don’t want to have to live on another Earth, because this is where God put us.”
Biggest Inspiration: “My parents.”
Brittany Gibson
Pablo, age 11
“Striking for climate is way more important, and I got to skip school … We’re skipping school and work today to come here, but we will not have that [school] if we do not act about this problem.”
Biggest Inspiration: “Greta.”
Brittany Gibson
Naila, age 9
“Just seeing what’s really bad about the Earth and not everybody’s doing something about it, but everybody should.”
Biggest Inspiration: “My dad and Greta.”
Brittany Gibson
Joshua, age 11
“I came out for the well-being of the earth because what’s happening right now is not OK … We need to have a future, and we’re the ones cleaning up the [older] people’s mess.”
Biggest Inspiration: “My biggest climate inspiration is everybody here that’s out today.”
Brittany Gibson
Alia, age 8 (with sister, age 5)
“I want the Earth to have more green spots and I want people to respect the Earth.”
Biggest Inspiration: “My sister.”
