It was no ordinary lunch break for a group of eight students from Aspen School District and Aspen Country Day School. They came to the Pitkin Board of County Commissioners with a list of climate-saving suggestions and a request that the county declare a climate emergency.
While the climate emergency would serve as a symbolic label for the students’ efforts, they also provided a number of action items such as reducing or eliminating single-use plastics, adopting the use of solar energy systems and reducing consumption of animal protein.
The students said their future will be impacted by climate change, and the need for action is urgent. “We only really have ten to twelve years to reverse it before it’s too late,” said Willow Poschman. “So we need to act now.”
The group seemed hopeful that their requests would not fall on deaf ears, but one student said they will not lose steam if adults are not listening. “If they don’t believe us at first,” Willow Poschman said. “We’re going to keep doing it. Show them that, yeah, we do care. We’re going to make change whether you like it or not.”
In their call to action, the students urged others to join them in a climate strike on September 20, when they’ll take part in a global school walkout demanding action on climate change.
