September 20, 2019. Sixteen year old Greta Thunberg, a Swedish environmental activist, was able to grab the world’s attention. She was able to reignite an environmental movement. Across the globe people from all ages and all backgrounds went on strike. Greta has been a passionate environmental activist for all her life, and in 2018 became internationally recognized for her work. According to Morgan McFall-Johnson from Business Insider, last year Greta would organize weekly walkouts from school and to sit in front of Parliament. Now, one year later over four million people around the world joined her in her fight to end climate change. The day of the march, Greta tweeted, “Over 4 million on #ClimateStrike today. In 163 countries. And counting… If you belong to the small number of people who feel threatened by us, then we have some very bad news for you: This is just the beginning. Change is coming – like it or not.”
The Earth has undergone significant climatic changes and will only continue to get worse unless change occurs. So, in order for world leaders to hear our voices the world went on strike. Rutgers had its own chapter of the climate march. We gathered on Voorhees Mall at 1:30 at the event there were several hundred people. A sea of signs and people flooded Voorhees Mall we listened to several speeches from various environmental and political organizations. There was a wide spectrum of speakers varying from student members of environmental groups to Congressmen.
After the speeches we began to gather for our march. The route of the march would begin on Voorhees Mall and end at the office of Representative Frank Pallone. Once we began our march, I looked back and I could see how many people truly had showed up for the strike. The College Avenue sidewalk was completely full for as far as I could see. There must have been three to four hundred people. I became overwhelmed with emotion. Everyone began yelling various chants such as, “hey hey ho ho fossil fuels have got to go” and “no more coal no more oil, keep your carbon in the soil”. Simple chants such as these truly unified the group. The sounds our voices echoed on the walls of the corporate buildings in New Brunswick.
We finally reached Representative Pallone’s office. We gathered around it and continued our chants. With every round our voices grew louder and louder. Representative Pallone had a few of his employees handing out flyers to the protesters, although we disregarded these flyers and continued to chant. A few more speeches were given at Representative Pallone’s office. We stayed for roughly forty-five minutes.
We eventually left, but not in low spirits. We had showed up. People chose to not go to work or school to protest instead. Humans are causing significant danger to the planet. Unless we act soon, the human race will go extinct. My family and I have always been advocates for the environment. My passion stems from my mom, who has taught me that us humans need the Earth a lot more than it needs us.
In order to save ourselves we must act now. It is too late, so now we must attempt to catch up in hopes we can save this beautiful planet we call home. Simple substitutions can be put in place of fossil fuels. Wind, solar, and water power can be implemented. All of these are renewable and clean resources. We know what has to be done, it is a matter of whether or not our world leaders will take action. I believe it is about time we come together for the one thing we have in common, the Earth. Thanks to Greta Thunberg the world has now been rocked, and our world leaders have no choice but to listen to us.