Young Climate Activists Slowed by Pandemic, But Not Defeated
Jamie Margolin had not expected to be sitting in her bedroom right now.
The high school senior had prom and graduation coming up, but so much more: A multi-state bus campaign with fellow climate activists. A tour for her new book. Attendance at one of the massive marches that had been planned this week for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
Then the pandemic arrived in Seattle, her hometown, and her plans went out the window.
“But still so much to do,” Margolin said, perched in front of her computer for a video interview from that bedroom.
Like many other young activists who’ve helped galvanize what’s become a global climate movement, Margolin is not letting a spreading virus stop her. They are organizing in place, from the United States to Ecuador, Uganda, India and beyond.
And while some fear they’ve lost some momentum in the pandemic, they are determined to keep pushing — and for now, to use technology to their advantage.
Unable to gather en masse as they’d planned this Earth Day, these activists are planning livestreams and webinars to keep the issue of climate front and center on the world stage and in the U.S. presidential race.
One event, Earth Day Live, is being organized by a coalition of youth-led climate groups, including Zero Hour, of which Margolin is a leader (her Twitter profile includes the tag #futurepotus). As is the case with many other young climate activists, she got involved in the movement taking aim at the fossil fuel industry well before Sweden’s Greta Thunberg became a global household name.
Much more (Includes video and photos): https://apnews.com/75655e14f9f9af89ebd876b8bd01a1ff
Climate activists persist as Earth Day turns 50
Young climate activists galvanized their movement with school strikes and massive marches — and vow to keep the momentum going, even amid a global virus pandemic, as Earth Day celebrates its 50th anniversary. AP Video produced by Martha Irvine. (April 20)
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