Kids From At Least 112 Countries, Including the US, Go on Strike To Protest Climate Change

It started 29 weeks ago when 16-year-old Swede Greta Thunberg began skipping school on Fridays to protest climate change by standing outside of her nation's parliament building. Today, kids from more than 110 countries, including the United States, are following Thunberg's lead and will play hooky from classes for something they think is ultimately more important: preventing the warming of their planet. Live updates, from The Guardian. Further reading: Thousands of scientists are backing the kids striking for climate change.

Comments

Are those kids willing to sacrifice something?

[reanjr]

It doesn't take much to get a kid to decide not to go to school. But are they willing to make real sacrifices for the environment? Probably not. You have to give up meat. You can't buy electronics devices. You can't use plastics. Can't drink milk or consume many other animal products unless they are expensive sustainable varieties. You have to give up on shopping at the mall and do all your clothes shopping at thrift stores buying only highly durable clothing that lasts more than a season. Give up any sports or extracurriculars that require you to travel by bus.

When kids do those things, they will be standing on firm moral ground.

Re:Are those kids willing to sacrifice something?

[magzteel]

It doesn't take much to get a kid to decide not to go to school. But are they willing to make real sacrifices for the environment? Probably not. You have to give up meat. You can't buy electronics devices. You can't use plastics. Can't drink milk or consume many other animal products unless they are expensive sustainable varieties. You have to give up on shopping at the mall and do all your clothes shopping at thrift stores buying only highly durable clothing that lasts more than a season. Give up any sports or extracurriculars that require you to travel by bus.

When kids do those things, they will be standing on firm moral ground.

I've had similar conversations with my kids. They are just as willing to give up their conveniences as wealthy people are willing to give up the private jets they use to get to the next climate junket.

The world keeps on spinning

[nehumanuscrede]

Kids aren't doing this because they genuinely give a damn about Climate Change.
They're doing it because it's a convenient excuse to get out of school.

Fail those who exceed the maximum number of days they can miss in a School Year.

Once you introduce consequences into the equation, you'll figure out who is serious and who isn't.
( Those who are willing to watch their friends move on to the next grade level while they repeat it are the serious ones )

Adult lesson of the day:
It isn't much of a strike / protest unless you risk something in return.

Re:The world keeps on spinning

[b0s0z0ku]

Why fail anyone so long as they do their assigned homework and pass their exams? Why is listening to a teacher yammer and yap on and on about something that's in a book or online necessary? The culture (both at school and work) should change from "show up x hours per day and pretend to be busy" to "if you can do the assigned work, it doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you don't cheat."

Re:Hell, yes!

[penandpaper]

What are you afraid of, economic catastrophe?

Yes. I am afraid of economic catastrophe and you should be too. If you think that is something not to be afraid of speaks volumes. Everything is secondary when the economy is crashing down and people are unemployed. Every high ideal you can think of will be put on hold and forgotten when people are feeling economic pain.

Cheap energy has helped poor people. Nearly every solution I have seen to climate change will in some way increase the cost of energy which will be mostly felt by the poor. That is not a good solution for the poor. Would you care about what happens in 100 years if you go to bed hungry every night? It reminds me of conservation biology. Using endangered species for food is like burning the Mona Lisa for warmth. It's tragic but anyone would do it if they had to feed a family.

Please do not disregard economic concerns because you are affluent and extrapolate what you can personally afford with what others can afford. Taxes are not the fix all to every problem and raising taxes can backfire. Every solution must have an economic understanding.

Re:Hell, yes!

[b0s0z0ku]

Carbon consumption and sprawl went down in the last recession. States started looking at their criminal justice and drug policies and examining the costs of mass incarceration. The economic stimulus program started funding transit projects like electric trains and light rail. Manufacturers started putting out smaller cars (sadly, the US is back on the fucking SUV wagon now), and electric cars started taking off. Recession = reform.

Re:Screw that...

[Joce640k]

I'm just thinking how envious we should be that a kid found a way to play hooky that has the publicity and backing to keep them out of detention.

Wish I'd thought of this when I was in high school (the assholes in charge would never have let it fly though!)

Huh?

Standing outside parliament all day long would be a dream day off school for you.

Re:Hell, yes!

[GameboyRMH]

Because he'll be dead by then, duh. Today's climate obstructionists are simply putting the pain of taking action onto future generations, multiplied many times over by the delay.

They're basically stealing shit from the future, in a very inefficient but cheap way, for their own personal gain.