Climate Change Is Bad And You Can Quote Me On That

Here's some of the art I saw at the Climate Strike. On one side, people put what was difficult about living a sustainable lifestyle, on the other, they put what motivated them. Highlights included motivation such as: "penguins" and "comrades"

It was the Friday morning before class was supposed to start and I had an empty calendar starring back at me. I woke up, had a slow bowl of Cheerios and listened to the sounds of bells ringing and little kids yelling from my apartment window. I scribbled a haphazard quote about the environment on the back of an empty box of Pocky and headed down to the Climate Strike, a mere block away from my building.

Although I felt slightly guilty about how convenient my participation in this "strike" was, the event itself was amazing. Led by local high school (and even middle school) students, the event centered around youth movement, following in the footsteps of sixteen-year-old activist Greta Thunberg. Several art installations were scattered around the park (I want you all to know I deleted the word "littered" out of respect for the cause) prompting self-reflection in viewers.

My favorite story from the day came from a group of three sixth-graders I was marching alongside. They told me (after a few minutes of "wow this is amazing! I'm so excited!" type conversation) that their parents had directly forbidden them from coming to the event but they wanted to go anyway. They got up in the middle of class, ran out of the building and caught a city bus to the march. My sixth-grade self could barely raise my hand in class, let alone dare to be rebellious.

Of course, while marching, of feeling empowered, and terrified, and inspired by kids younger than I am demanding immediate change, I couldn't quite shut off my social justice-minded brain. While there were so many good things, including a girl acknowledging Indigenous land and their unique relationship to climate justice, mainstream (white) climate activists still struggle to view this crisis in a three dimensional light.

One of the best (and most local) examples is the carbon tax. Yes, carbon is bad. Yes, we should emit less of it. It would be great to stop driving cars and ride our bikes everywhere and label all cars as evil and be rid of them forever. But we can't talk about the carbon tax without talking about gentrification. Sure, somewhere out there, some rich guy is probably cruising his gas-guzzler in circles around the block just to show off, but he is not the majority. The reality is, in a city like Seattle––where a month's rent could eat up an entire paycheck––most of the people driving long distances are the people who can't afford to live here.

Is it really ethical to tax someone who's driving in from Renton, Olympia, or even further because they can't afford the luxury of a house in Seattle? Even more than that, the idea of giving someone a tax cut for buying a TESLA is ludicrous. We have somehow made tax breaks for the rich and taxes for the poor and middle-class sound like an ethical solution to climate change. To solve this crisis, we have to think critically about our solutions. We know that the top polluters are big companies. We also know that our system forces poor people to make decisions between sustainability and survival. If we continue these patterns, our screaming earth will drown us all.

There was also my favorite vegan argument visibly present at the table.

I will never say that veganism isn't a good thing because our meat and dairy industries are broken and driven by money and are at the center of this dumpster fire. If you're a vegan (and your food is ethically sourced) you're doing your part and I am thankful to you. Although climate change at its heart is a systematic problem, our loudest voice comes from the money in our pockets and it's important we acknowledge that platform.

Wealthy Seattlites shouldn't hide behind the system when we know that consumers drive the market. As I sit here in my Seattle apartment, knowing I have the money to shop ethically, I will make the commitment to research the source of my meat and dairy. I do not live in a food desert, nor do I suffer from pressing economic strife. Many of my food choices are sloppy and self-serving and I will make the commitment to change that this year. I invite everyone to do this kind of self-reflection. I know that I can't commit to veganism (for reasons beyond I don't want to) but I also know that I do have a responsibility as someone who is financially able to. 

What I will say, however, is that veganism doesn't work for everybody and blaming poor people for their lack of access won't magically make shopping vegan a reality. Beyond the simple fact that vegan food is often more expensive, even when prices are comparable,  it's not usually available in poorer neighborhoods. A poor family shouldn't shoulder the blame for a system they didn't create. And they certainly shouldn't have to take two buses across town to shop at a store they won't be shamed for shopping at. Furthermore, without diligent research, vegan products can be just as exploitative as meat products. We must consider the workers who farm the land as a driving factor in the food we buy.

Okay. Here's another little positivity break, because I truly did love the cause, I just also know we don't make progress without critical thinking. I post these points of tension not to detract from the movement, but because a million different media outlets are going to (rightfully) praise this event so I don't need to spend an abundance of time doing so.

Little boy holding a sign that reads "don't pollute anymore"

Here's my favorite tiny protestor. He took the day off of pre-k to come and show support. He sat on his mom's shoulders while the older kids spoke and screamed at the top of his lungs in agreeance no matter what the point being made. The youth are fierce and loud aren't taking shit from anyone. Watch out.

Break over, last point.

Let's consider the event itself. As I said, I walked less than two minutes and had a completely free morning to participate in the event. When I got there, it was safe for all ages and there were a police presence and a general feeling of positivity. This was nice in the moment, but not true of all movements. I appreciated the effort the kids put in to organize the logistical side (because I remember those days of fighting the paper shuffling, it's not easy) but not all kids get that treatment. We know that Black Lives Matter Movements are labeled as "dangerous" while this event we saw community and "righteous anger".

Even Greta Thunberg (who is a beautiful speaker and a fierce leader who has undoubtedly put herself on the line in countless ways) is praised for her poignant and direct speaking points while black and brown kids are called aggressive or simply ignored by the media. Her anger is one of her superpowers, centering her in the movement for justice, but many kids of color are berated (and even killed) for the same attitude.

Mari Copeny (who is 12 right now) lobbied for years around getting Flint clean water. While this too, is an environmental disaster caused by the failings of our government, her voice was pushed by Twitter, not by the mainstream media. Both are deserving of praise, but we need to remember that kids like Mari, who live in districts with people of color, will be the first to feel the effects of climate change. There's plenty of room for Greta and Mari to be showcased, let's uplift both kids' voices.


At the end of the day, the event was beautiful but (as any protest) still held the same underlying issues our community faces. Seattle, despite its liberal reputation, could always do better uplifting the people we claim to be fighting for. Moving forward, I will be more conscious of the food I put in my body and the policy I chose to support as we continue to fight this uphill battle.