Image of six young students approximately elementary age carry a white banner that reads “Strike for Climate #youthpower.” Signs are held up behind the students, two of which can be read completely, “Dumbledore wouldn’t let this happen” and “Pretty soon the only green thing will be money.”
by: WavelengthPosted on:

Youth Climate March, Told in Photos

Young students led the march carrying a large banner which said “Strike for Climate” and “#youthpower.” Joe Addison // AS Review

Photos and Story by Joe Addison

Climate marches are nothing new to Bellingham, however the Youth Climate Strike held on Sept. 20 was different. Globally, the Youth Climate Strike called for students and young people to strike and walk out of their schools and jobs to protest against government inaction and industry’s role in climate change. 

A Bellingham-based chapter of 350, a global climate activism group, organized this climate strike, publicizing the event through Facebook and Twitter. 

According to 350’s website, their name is in reference to 350 parts per million of CO2, the “safe concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.” 

Students and community members led the strike on Friday morning. Participants gave speeches and lead chants and songs. Local students taught chants to the crowds before the march and led the chants along the route downtown.

“I think it would be wrong for schools to not support this,” said Jeremy Rosen, a community member, when asked about supporting students around the country walking out of schools to strike.

The march began after the rally with a loop around downtown Bellingham that ended back at the steps of City Hall. The Bellingham Herald estimates 2500 people rallied and marched.

Bellingham Public School students were supposed to have no school for a teacher workday on that Friday, according to the district calendar. Western’s classes had not yet begun.

The inspiration for this climate strike is Greta Thunberg, a 16 year old Swedish climate activist. Thunberg’s activism started with a three week-long school strike in front of the Swedish parliament which went viral on social media in August of 2018. 

350 Bellingham created and distributed signs with a quote from Thunberg, reading, “I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is.” 

Hundreds of signs were created by participants and carried in the march alongside those made by 350 Bellingham.

City Hall was the gathering point for the rally and the starting point for the march, the signs feature hashtags used by participants of the strike.

Local students gave a speech at the rally in front of Bellingham City Hall before the march downtown began, an interpreter is translating into American Sign Language behind them.

Image of two Western students standing side by side holding their bikes, the student on the left is smiling, the student on the right is not. They are carrying two matching signs which read: “Global Climate Strike. Act for Earth. Climate Justice Now.”

Western students Ben Morgan [left] and Adam Horner [right] pose with signs after the march finished.

Image of an oblong shaped rock which has been painted with the “#bhamclimatestrike” and decorated.

Organizer 350 Bellingham asked participants to paint rocks in the hour and a half before the rally, and at the end of the march they requested participants to take a rock home and place it in their neighborhood.

Image of Julia Kerl crouching down to sign the banner with an orange sharpie, placing the signature between many other signatures.

Community member Julia Kerl signs on a banner that reads “City of Bellingham #ActOnClimate.” The banner has the organizing group’s name on the lower center “350 Bellingham.”

Image of the climate strike rally at City Hall the focus of the image is an individual with short white hair facing away from the photographer, holding a sign depicting Donald Trump edited to appear in a witches hat pushing the earth into a cauldron which appears to be filled with lava.

Many participants held signs with criticisms of the current president Donald Trump’s actions and policies surrounding climate change.

Image of a young girl wearing a green dress, a unicorn tiara and a blue cape, holding a sign which reads “Global Climate Strike. Act for Earth. Climate Justice Now.”

Elowyn Pudell, age 6, at the youth climate strike rally before the march downtown.

Image of 8 high school aged individuals holding 4 signs which read from left to right, “Why are we studying for a future we won’t even have.” “There is no planet B.” “I like my planet like I like my kale smoothie, cold and green.” and “This planet is getting hotter than young Leonardo DiCaprio.”

Local high school students display their signs after the march, many students created humorous signs to carry in the march.

Image of the march moving away from City Hall the march fills the bottom of the image with people holding signs, in the center of the image is a sign with Greta Thunberg’s image and text that reads “I’m with her.”

As the march started from city hall a selection of the signs photographed including an image of Greta Thunberg.

Image of young students marching on the sidewalk holding signs, many are captured mid-chant. The signs read from left to right “You’ll die of old age. I’ll die of Climate Change.” “What I stand for is what I stand on!” “Yo momma’s so hot she’s experiencing rising sea levels and melting glaciers.”

Students marching through downtown Bellingham repeating the chants that organizers taught at the rally.

Image of two individuals both holding signs which read “Peace” and “Don't be a Fossil Fool.”

Community members John Bromet [left] and Sage Waters [right], pose with their signs after the march.

Image of three individuals seen walking away down the sidewalk, the person in the center has a sign tucked into their backpack facing backwards reads, “The seas are rising and so are we.”

Participants leaving the march. The sign in the center is one of the chants repeated by the marchers in reference to the youth movement rising to climate change.

“The seas are rising and so are we” was one of the chants repeated during the march, a viewpoint of the students participating in the march. These students see the threat of climate change, and are taking action through protesting governmental and industry inaction. They are working to raise awareness, calling for change, all in order to secure their future.