ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - Dozens of protesters gathered at the Delaney Park Strip, urging state lawmakers to combat climate change and for the governor to reinstate an environmental action committee.
The protest was part of Fridays for Future, a movement started by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg who would go on strike from school every Friday to call for more environmental awareness.
Cassidy Austin, 17, a student at West Anchorage High School, is the Anchorage coordinator for Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA). She helped organize Friday’s protest that coincidentally fell on Black Friday, saying it sends a strong message about the costs of consumerism.
“People tend to use this for not very long and then throw them out,” Austin. “We’re promoting that if people are going to shop, shop sustainably and locally.”
The protest also called on Gov. Michael Dunleavy to reinstate the Climate Action Leadership Team (CALT) after he disbanded it shortly after taking office. The youth-led protest saw middle-schoolers and high-schoolers march through the streets of downtown Anchorage as onlookers took photos.
Fourteen-year-old Natalie Buttner who recently moved to Unalaska was in Anchorage for Thanksgiving. She spoke about Alaska being on the frontline of climate change and the need for legislators to take the issue seriously “Look around, it’s November and there’s green grass everywhere!”
By Sean Maguire
Originally posted by KTUU on Friday, Nov 29, 2019
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