A large contingent of Mallacoota students and supporters participated in last Friday’s school strike for climate.
The strike was an international movement of school students who took time off from class to participate in demonstrations to demand action to prevent further global warming and climate change.
Thirty-five Mallacoota P-12 College students walked from the school oval to the town’s rotunda to join with other students, family, friends and community members.
Coordinator of the walk, year 10 student, Ashlee Johnston, addressed the crowd of more than 100, thanking the staff and fellow students who were involved with the demonstration.
“The reason I personally have decided to protest is because I don’t want to keep hearing that 200 species go extinct every day,” Ashlee told the crowd.
“I don’t want to pass this issue on to the next generation and I’m tired of people not caring. Because if we keep doing nothing we’ll be drowning in the rising sea levels and polluted water, unable to breath because of deforestation and air pollution and then we’ll be buried under piles of plastic.
“I, like everyone here, want change. I want to see politicians held to their word. I want to see everyone do their bit to reverse climate change while we still have the time. I want us to pave the way of our future and take charge on what is right.”
Junior students were among the students who stood to address the crowd, reading out statements of their feelings about land and oceans and their future on the planet.
The students walked around town for a short time, holding up their signs and chanting slogans, further spreading their message to prevent further global warming and climate change.
PICTURED: Ashlee Johnston, who initiated the walk, with Remy Turner, Aya Mounsey and Zara Creed.