Girls' global mission
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A SCHOOLGIRL trio kick-started their climate change campaign on the streets of Elgin on Friday determined to raise awareness and inspire others – young and old – to act.
Hannah Weir (12) of Speyside High School, led the protest along with friends Bria Alexandra (12) also from Speyside High, and Martha Allsop (13) of Elgin Academy, outside Moray Council headquarters in Elgin.
The Moray Climate Strike was inspired by the recent actions of young Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg who, along with the Fridays for Future movement of schoolchildren, was this week honoured with Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2019.
The Fridays for Future movement was started by Greta, who in August 2018 decided to miss school every Friday and instead protest outside the Swedish parliament until it took more serious action to tackle climate change. Her efforts to raise awareness of the climate crisis have gone global.
And the ripples have reached Moray. The trio hope to encourage many more schoolchildren in the area to join their future actions.
They encountered a public largely sympathetic to their cause in Elgin. Many passing drivers hooted horns or gave thumbs-up in support and passers-by stopped to learn more and show encouragement.
Bria said: "I am worried about my future and also, if I have children, what the state of the world will be like."
Hannah echoed: "So am I. We all are."
Hannah added: "So many people are ignoring climate change – but that's often because they don't understand it.
"We're making people aware that we care and that children are taking action. It's good to have people come and show support.
"Everyone needs to be educated about climate change, definitely. We can't do anything about it otherwise."
Martha added: "Evolution isn't fast enough for us to just live with it."
The three hope to stage regular protests and are urging people to follow their campaign on social media and join the protests. Their Facebook and Instagram accounts are under Moray Climate Action, and under Action Moray on Twitter.
Speyside Glenlivet councillor Louise Laing stopped to chat with the girls and assure them that she'd play her part to take their concerns to council. Hannah was encouraged that Cllr Laing "understands what young people care about". Council convener Shona Morrison was also keen to hear what the girls had to say.
On missing school lessons, Hannah said: "There's no point getting an education if we don't have a future to use that education. This is more important."
Hannah was commended in the Moray Young Citizen Award 2019 for her volunteering efforts. She has also won a place on a trip to India with a charity called We after outlining why she wants to change the world and showing evidence of her community involvement. She was selected from around 300 applicants to join the 30-strong group.
The teenagers are keen to hear from anyone who wants to join the movement and can be contacted by email at morayclimateaction@gmail.com.
