Over the last year students have been striking from school to bring attention to the climate emergency. Now, for the first time, they are asking people of all ages to join them on Friday 20 September.
These strikes are kicking off a week of climate action with many events taking place around the world. Together, we will be asking the government to take urgent action to ensure a future where the UK no longer contributes to climate change.
It’s key to take the lead from the young people who began this climate movement and the first way to get involved is to join your local #ClimateStrike. There’s over 100 registered strikes taking place across the UK - and more are being added every day.
Joining a strike might mean taking a full day of annual leave, taking a volunteer day or even taking just half the day off. Many businesses have already pledged their support for the Climate Strikes so it is good to check with your employer to see what flexibility they will offer.
We know its not possible for everyone to strike, so here are some other ways
to get involved and show your support:
AT WORK
Hold an event at work
Host a lunchtime discussion or use a newsletter, noticeboard or email list at work to share information about climate change and the #ClimateStrike. Make it relevant to your workplace by finding out the links between how climate change will affect your workplace or industry. You might need to seek permission from your employer to do this.Take action in your lunch break
If you can’t take a full day off, use your lunch break to join a #ClimateStrike near you. Even if it’s just for half an hour - every moment of support helps us show the government that the public wants to see urgent action.Show support on social media
Use your social media to amplify the message of the strikes. You could do this by engaging with content from the strikes and by posting about why you want to see urgent action on climate change. Make sure you use the hashtag #ClimateStrike. You could even create signs with your colleagues and post photos of these to show your solidarity.
IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Show your support for young people
This could be anything from enabling your child to go to a local strike, to encouraging local schools to be supportive of children taking part in the Climate Strikes, or writing to a local newspaper about why you stand beside the young people leading the movement. There’s even a template letter here.
Support students who want to hold a #ClimateStrike
If there isn’t a strike happening in your community (and you can double check that here), first connect with any youth strike and other climate groups in your community to plan together. It’s important that you take your lead from the young people who called this mobilisation so talk with young people you know and other adults about what could be done to build up the momentum between now and Friday 20th September. There’s more about this here.
Host a climate conversation
If you can’t join in on 20th September, you could hold a short event in your home with friends to talk about the importance of action on climate change. You can even make signs together and share photos of these to show support with strikers, and build awareness.
Contact your MP
If you can’t join a strike or hold an event in your community, you can write to your MP and ask them to support the ambitious policies and investment we need to end the UK’s contribution to climate change. We have a template letter here.
