Campus & community, Campus news, Events at Berkeley

Berkeley’s student-led climate strike: ‘Let’s demand climate action’

“Berkeley’s motto is ‘Let there be light.’ We want that light to shine on important issues, such as climate change,” says student organizer

By Anne Brice, Irene Yi

climate strike sign that says — (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

September 20, 2019

hundreds at climate march — UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza was packed with students, faculty, staff and community members for the Global Climate Change Strike on Sept. 20. (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

woman holding sign at climate strike that says — "I hope the strike brings awareness," said Cassidy Childs, a fourth-year political science and society and environment major. "I hope it unites people and makes them feel less alone, especially when a lot of our popular movements now are through the internet. This is a cathartic moment for people to come together and to feel less alone in what they believe in." (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

Berkeley students work on signs for climate strike — Students work on signs before the climate strike. (UC Berkeley photo by Violet Carter)

professor kate o'neill speaks to the crowd during a teach-in — Kate O'Neill, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, gave a teach-in about how social movements are pivotal in causing societal action, and enabling politicians to take bold action on Climate Change. (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

Conor Martin holding a sign at climate strike that says: — Conor Martin, an electrical engineering and computer science major, stood at a booth representing ASUC senator Sylvia Targ. (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

group of people at climate strike holding signs and listening to speaker — (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

young student holding sign that says: — (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

Event organizer Dante Gonalez speaking on stage during climate strike — Dante Gonzales, a senior studying society and environment and conservation resources, was one of the strike's organizers and emceed the event. "I think this [combatting climate change] is innately tied to our existence, and I think people should come out and start to get involved in any way that they can." (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

speaker at climate march — Aisha Wallace-Palomares speaks to the crowd and leads a chant with the youth in the crowd. (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

kid holds a sign that says — (UC Berkeley photo by Violet Carter)

two women talking to someone at climate strike — (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

people speak on stage at climate strike — (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

Holden Payne and Valerie Hammer pose toghether — Holden Payne and Valerie Hammer are part of Epsilon Eta, an environmental service fraternity on campus. They ran a booth that had on display the climate and energy policy platforms of the top Democratic candidates. (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

climate strikers march through sather gate — After the strike ended at noon, people marched through campus and took the BART station to San Francisco, where they met up with a larger UC Berkeley contingent to take a group photo. (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

climate strike sign — (UC Berkeley photo by Irene Yi)

kids hold a big sign that says — (UC Berkeley photo by Violet Carter)

Hundreds of students, staff, faculty and community members packed onto UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza at 11 a.m. today, Sept. 20, joining millions across the world for a Global Climate Change Strike. The global strike, inspired by 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg, had a simple and urgent message: “Our house is on fire — let’s act like it.”

“We hope that this climate strike spurs further direct action,” said Dante Gonzales, a senior studying society and environment and conservation resources, who helped organize the event. “Berkeley’s motto is ‘Let there be light.’ We want that light to shine on important issues, such as climate change.”

People of all ages held signs and spoke out, showing their commitment to tackling climate change, an issue that many say is the biggest challenge this generation faces.

Sproul Plaza is overflowing today with members of the Berkeley community for today’s #climatestrike: “This is what democracy looks like,” the crowd chants. pic.twitter.com/OqnMcM6vps

— Anjali Shrivastava (@anjalii_shrivas) September 20, 2019

“What do we want?” shouted Sylvia Targ, a senior studying geography and conservation and resource studies, and an ASUC senator.

“Climate action,” shouted back the crowd.

“When do we want it?”

“Now!”

“This is a community that built me,” Targ said about UC Berkeley. “Who does this movement include? Everyone — if you are alive on this planet right now. We are one. This is not supposed to be comfortable. This is a time when we come together for change.”

The University of California announced on Tuesday, Sept. 17, that it has joined with more than 7,000 colleges and universities around the globe to declare a climate emergency and commit to urgent action to address the crisis. UC President Janet Napolitano and all 10 UC chancellors have signed a climate emergency declaration letter that recognizes “the need for a drastic societal shift to combat the growing threat of climate change.”

As part of Berkeley’s climate strike event, faculty and students held 20-minute teach-ins on Sproul Plaza before the rally, and nearly 20 booths run by on-campus organizations and community partners lined the walkway, all offering a way for people to get involved in fighting climate change.

Sophomore Valerie Hammer is part of Epsilon Eta, an environmental service fraternity on campus. She was at a booth that had on display the climate and energy policy platforms of the top Democratic candidates.

“We wanted to give people a way to engage more personally,” said Hammer, “ and something we all have is our vote. It can be really easy to be in this space, with people who care about climate action. The energy is palpable, but it doesn’t mean that much if we’re not doing anything past today.”

At another booth stood Conor Martin, an electrical engineering and computer science major, who was representing ASUC senator Sylvia Targ.

“Our goal is to start a conversation with the university to help with their 2025 carbon neutrality plan,” said Martin. “Our goal is to remove the cogeneration natural gas plant on campus and instead install solar throughout campus.”

Beautiful day at UC Berkeley where middle schoolers are leading their collegiate neighbors in striking for #ClimateAction:

“Climate Change is not a lie, we won’t let our planet die!”#ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/RFkx22MjHN

— Rigel Robinson (@RigelRobinson) September 20, 2019

Toward the end of the rally, middle schoolers from the “Longfellow Dream Team” got on stage to voice their concerns about the future, and to give some advice.

“To adults who don’t care about climate change,” said a seventh-grader named Chole, “Grow up.”

By noon, Gonzales, who emceed the event, closed on a positive and direct note: “Thank you all for coming out today,” he said. “Now, let’s demand climate action!”