Alida Tomasini made a sign for Friday’s climate strike demonstration in Orillia, and she wasn’t being subtle.
“If the Earth dies, you die too,” the nine-year-old wrote.
“People who aren’t doing good things to the Earth are probably thinking there’s another planet we can go live in. There isn’t,” said Tomasini, who was one of more than 40 people who gathered at city hall to make their concerns about climate change known.
The so-called climate strikes have been happening worldwide since Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg organized one.
Friday’s demonstration was the second in Orillia. The first, held in March, drew about 20 people. Ellen Field, who helped organize the last one, was happy to see a better turnout Friday.
“There are so many kids here. It’s great,” she said. “With the last one, I was a little reluctant because it’s youth-led and I’m not a youth.”
Grace Long took the message to Instagram in an effort to reach more people around her age and encourage them to take part.
“I didn’t think there would be this many people,” said Long, 16, a student at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School.
It’s important for youth to get involved, she said, because “it’s our future.”
“The more we educate ourselves now, the more we’ll be able to take action when we’re able to vote,” she said.
Fouz Ul-Mubeen, 16, is a member of Orillia Secondary School’s enviro-action team and he said Friday’s demonstration “really aligns with what we do.”
“I hope we can draw some larger crowds so we can have a stronger impact,” he said. “Ultimately, we’d like to see more government involvement to slow down climate change.”
Those taking part in Friday’s event took that message to the streets, marching downtown before regrouping at city hall.
The date of the next local climate strike has not been determined. Follow organizers on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
