Climate change sparks a fire

Trisha Dasgupta and Eden Brim|September 23, 2019

 

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  • Students across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, including over a hundred from Frisco ISD gathered outside the Collin County Courthouse in protest against climate change. This protest was a part of National Climate Strike Week and began on Saturday.

    Trisha Dasgupta
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  • Signs in hands, students gather for a protest on Saturday in an effort to demand that public officials take action against climate change. Known as the Zero Hour Dallas Climate Change March, the protest took place outside of the Collin County Courthouse on Saturday.

    Trisha Dasgupta
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  • A group of students hold signs outside of the Collin County Courthouse as they protest against climate change. Frisco ISD students joined their Plano and Dallas peers on Saturday to kick off National Climate Strike week.

    Trisha Dasgupta
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  • Students take the podium outside the Collin County Courthouse protesting against climate change. Many Frisco ISD students joined in the protest on Saturday.

    Trisha Dasgupta
    '

  • The Zero Hour Dallas Climate Change March is a part of a weeklong series of protests recognized as National Climate Strike week. Over a hundred Frisco ISD students gathered to be a part of the protest on Saturday.

    Trisha Dasgupta
    '

National Climate Strike week, a weeklong series of protests from groups all across the world, started on Saturday with more than a hundred Frisco ISD students showing up to demand public officials take action against climate change at the Collin County Courthouse. 

“Personally I think that there should be more regulations on companies and their impact on the environment,” sophomore Hanl Brown said. “I think [public officials] should realise how important this crisis is, especially to us, the younger generation who is going to start voting soon.”

Brown was one of hundreds of students from schools all over Frisco, Plano, and Dallas, who showed up to make their voices be heard at the Zero Hour Dallas Climate Change March.

“We need to take action now, before our coasts and our cities will continue to flood,” Zero Hour Dallas Director of Communications Areeba Qazi said to the crowd. “The oceans are rising and so must we.” 

Students who marched around the Collin County Courthouse were also joined by Lorenzo Sanchez, who is currently campaigning to be the next Texas Representative for House District 67.

“Climate change is not a political issue. Climate change is a massive issue,” Sanchez said to the crowd. “If we don’t fix climate change, none of the other good I want to do for this district will work.”

While most of the faces in the crowd belonged to younger students and teenagers, North Texas activist, Molly Rooke, has been fighting against climate change since the early 90s. 

“I’ve been working on climate change action since 1989, so you can imagine I’m getting a little tired,” Rooke said to the crowd. “But I’m so happy to finally see the momentum growing to actually take significant action.”

For senior Lauren Hart, the chance to march was a way to raise her voice on an issue she believes is more dire than many may believe. 

“I marched because I think it is important for people, especially youth, to actively get people aware of the problem and know that this is something that affects everyone,” Hart said. “I think it’s something that we need to focus on and realize that no other issues matter until we can solve this.”

Infographic by Eden Brim