Skip to content

Hundreds Gather to Demand Action on Climate Change at Seattle’s Youth Climate Strike

Overheard among the peaceful crowd: “The time is now everybody/There is no planet B/The oceans are rising and so are we”

By Samantha Bushman March 15, 2019

Strikers sit down to listen to the day's speakers. The crowd was quiet as activists approached the mic, with cheering reserved only for times deeped appropriate.
Strikers sit down to listen to the day’s speakers. The crowd was quiet as activists approached the mic, with cheering reserved only for times deeped appropriate.

Hundreds of supporters and student activists gathered on Wednesday morning in Capitol Hill’s Cal Anderson park for a school walk out in support of The Green New Deal and environmental activism.

The event was part of a worldwide movement started by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who has spent almost every Friday for the past year skipping school to sit in front of parliament buildings demanding action on climate change. Seattle’s was one of the many happening around the state, and world. Earlier today, Thunberg tweeted that there were “over one million students on school strike today.”

“We want to send a message that we won’t stand idly by anymore,” said 17-year-old event organizer Lydia Ringer, of Roosevelt High School.

The message was bolstered by a series of speakers including King County Executive Dow Constantine, climate scientists and students from around the region, who led chants and discussed how to make a difference in their communities.

From within the peaceful and attentive crowd, which drew attendees ranging from toddlers to the elderly, chanting could be heard, “No more carbon! No more oil! Leave your carbon in the soil!”

Follow Us

82 Million Tons of E-Waste by 2030. Now What?

82 Million Tons of E-Waste by 2030. Now What?

Smart ways to handle old electronics after a holiday upgrade.

Every holiday season, our houses fill with upgraded gadgets and the promise that we’ll deal with the old stuff later. Meanwhile, the drawer of mystery cords multiplies, and some items just get tossed out. Most of us mean well, but those castoff electronics often end up somewhere they really shouldn’t. And with about 59% of…

Going to the Mountains This Winter? Read This.

Going to the Mountains This Winter? Read This.

A new online tool breaks down avalanche basics for anyone planning snowy fun off the beaten path.

I’m a rule follower when it comes to the outdoors. This summer, my family did some backcountry hiking in Whistler and made sure to do everything by the book—texting friends our plan and location, and wearing a bear bell even though it felt a little dorky. It’s reassuring to know you’ve covered the basics before…

Historic Flooding Prompts WA Governor to Declare Emergency

Historic Flooding Prompts WA Governor to Declare Emergency

Rivers are surging around the state amid days of heavy rainfall.

As floodwaters swelled around Washington, threatening low-lying communities along rivers, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a statewide emergency declaration on Wednesday. Ferguson says he’ll also seek an expedited emergency declaration from the federal government in response to the flooding, which is the result of an atmospheric river that has dumped multiple inches of rain in parts…

Barnes & Noble Is Coming Back to Downtown Seattle

Barnes & Noble Is Coming Back to Downtown Seattle

The bookseller will open a new flagship at 520 Pike, marking the largest retail lease in downtown Seattle since 2020.

Barnes & Noble is returning to downtown Seattle for the first time since early 2020. The national bookseller has signed a 10-year lease for a new flagship at 520 Pike Street, a 29-story tower, taking over 17,538 square feet on the corner of Pike and 6th Avenue. The store is expected to open in the…