Young people held a climate strike at the Oregon State Capitol on Friday, joining cities across the world. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Salem joined the roster of cities around the world where young activists took to the street Friday, demanding action on climate change.
As cars drove by the Oregon State Capitol honking, a crowd of young people cheered, thrusting signs into the air that read: “There is no planet B” and “Denial is not a policy.”
Eddy Binford-Ross and Angelique Prater, a junior and senior at South Salem High School, organized Friday’s strike.
“I think it’s really empowering to see the sudden growth in a movement supporting our futures,” Prater said.
Binford-Ross said she was inspired by Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist who motivated the strikes.
Binford-Ross said it’s easy for Thunberg to be an inspiration because she’s the same age as the young activists.
“Once I saw Greta Thunberg and I realized the detrimental effects of climate change and how imperative it is to act, I felt like I had to do something,” she said.
Binford-Ross said she saw a post on social media that pushed her to organize three climate strikes this year. The earlier events were in March and May. The first event yielded around 20 participants. On Friday, around 200 people gathered on the Oregon State Capitol steps.
“This is our moment, it’s time for us to rise and create real change,” Binford-Ross told the crowd.
Deb McQuade brought her three young grandchildren to the strike.
McQuade said she didn’t want to mimic what Thunberg has said, but reiterated that people need to listen to scientists about global warming.
The McMinnville resident said she’s interested to see how a lawsuit filed by several young plaintiffs against the federal government — which alleges the federal government has violated young people’s constitutional rights though policies that have caused a dangerous climate — shakes out.
“They’re getting the attention of more people,” McQuade said of the plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States. “The wind is at our back.”
McMinnville resident Pat Carlson took the day off work to attend the strike.
“We’re running out of time, we really are,” Carlson said.
Salem-Keizer students who attended Friday’s climate strike will have unexcused absences, district spokesman Aaron Harada said.
Willamette University student Molly Murphy-Brown said as soon as she found out about the climate strike, she knew she wanted to go.
“It’s the most important issue in the world right now,” she said.
A sign reads: “Tik-tok on the clock our planets running hot!” (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Salem area youth gathered on the steps of the Oregon State Capitol Friday afternoon. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
A little girl holds a sign reading “What Greta said,” during a climate strike at the state capitol Friday. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Young people hold signs during a climate strike at the state capitol Friday. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
A woman holds a sign reading “Will it still be a hoax when” during a climate strike. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Young people hold signs during a climate strike at the state capitol Friday. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Young people listen as Angelique Prater, a South Salem High School senior, speaks. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
A man holds a sign reading: “Another old white guy against fossil fuels.” (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Millions of young people took to the streets to urge action on climate change Friday. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Salem area youth gathered on the steps of the Oregon State Capitol Friday afternoon. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Correction Sept. 23: This article previously misattributed a quote from Eddy Binford-Ross.
Have a tip? Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected] or @daisysaphara.
