By Isabel Stanley
On the 20th of August 2018, Swedish schoolgirl and climate activist Greta Thunberg refused to go to school for three weeks. She instead protested outside the Riksdag (Swedish parliament) while holding a sign that read “Skolstrejk för klimatet” (“school strike for the climate”). Her primary demand was that the Swedish government reduce its carbon emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement. Greta has inspired thousands of students across the globe to follow in her footsteps, inciting a Worldwide Youth Climate Strike, which will be on September 20th. She will be speaking soon after with the UN climate summit on September 23rd in New York City.
While some maintain that climate change won't affect them personally, it is becoming increasingly clear that climate change will have a major impact on everyday life for centuries to come. Climate change is changing weather patterns at an increasingly fast rate. Climate change impacts all aspects of the world around us. Rising sea levels, farming and food production, droughts and forest fires, and public health are influenced by fluctuating global temperatures.
Croton’s local ice cream shop, The Blue Pig, was closed on Friday, September 20th in support of the strike. Members of the Croton Climate Initiative, as well as students from Croton Harmon High School, will stand outside of The Blue Pig from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. They are hoping to garner attention from the local media and village representatives. Students will be speaking publicly about their demands for change regarding the environment and local policies. Owner Lisa Moir encourages anyone and everyone to attend the strike, especially students.