It is no longer just climate change, it is an emergency

by Lizzy Hahn

MARCHING FOR CLIMATE ACTION— Despite 40 mph winds and torrents of rain, eight students stood at Nome’s town square on Sept. 27 for a Friday school strike to bring attention to the climate crisis. Lizzy Hahn, center, organizer of the protest, and a dozen students and grown ups went on a small march through town to carry the message . Photo by Diana Haecker

My name is Lizzy Hahn. I am a 10th grader at Nome Beltz High School in Nome, Alaska. I organized a climate strike school strike along with Aralye Lie. The reason why we wanted to strike is because of the need to put a spotlight on climate emergency. It is no longer just climate change, it’s now an emergency.

What caught our attention was when 16 year old Greta Thunberg took time off from school to demonstrate outside of the Swedish Parliament demanding climate action. She sailed to America with a solar powered boat to meet UN leaders and tell them what she wished for our world.

She didn’t have to come by a boat run on solar energy, but she chose what she thought was right. She thought protesting against climate change and its cause, the use of fossil fuels, would be a great start.

All of the things she says helps teenagers and adults understand what our future is going to be like.

Kids up here in Alaska are experiencing it – the most severe effects of climate change. We are right on the forefront of climate change. We experience it year around. We, here in Nome, experience firsthand the devastating effects of the decrease in sea ice.

What are we going to do if we no longer have the subsistence food to live off on? How can you help make the world a better place?

Greta Thunberg has inspired the whole world to go on strike. That is what we are doing. This letter you are reading states that two Alaskan girls are recognizing the changes in our world. Changes that are happening right now, that world leaders are ignoring.

Sure, we may not get any recognition, but at least we are believing that things can change. So Friday, September 27th, us here in Nome are going to take a stand. If we don’t get the answer we deserve then we’ll organize even more protests until we get heard.

We must take steps to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 50% by the year 2030. We are going on strike to demand action. It’s our future and we will not let it go to waste. We must take steps to protect this earth.

Thank you,

Lizzy Hahn and Aralye Lie

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