3 Inspiring Things We Did During #ClimateStrike—and 3 More We Should Continue To Do

We are in a global climate crisis. 

The Earth is heating up drastically, and experts say that we only have until 2030 to prevent irreversible and permanent damage resulting from climate change. On the Earth Observatory page of the NASA website, there’s a map that depicts global temperature changes, from 1885 to 2005. It starts with a very blue map, indicating cooler temperatures, growing increasingly redder and redder as time goes by. The temperatures presented in the map include data only until five years ago, in 2014, and already it’s a completely red image, barely a hint of blue in sight. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that global warming is currently increasing at 0.2°C, and is likely to reach alarming levels between 2030 and 2052 if it continues to increase at the current rate. 

Below, three inspiring things that transpired during the #ClimateStrike, and three more we should continue to do going forward. 

Young people all over the world protested together.

Climate strikes took place all over the world from September 20 to September 27, and the Philippines was no exception. Young Filipinos, from Isabela to Agusan del Sur, mobilized ardently and furiously to demand action from elected leaders, both local and global. Of course, the September strikes were far from the first time that this happened. Similar strikes took place early this year, in March. 

Lush Philippines closed its stores from from 2pm to 6pm.

Lush has always been forward-thinking when it comes to the environment. It’s vegan, it’s sustainable, and during the Strike, it’s heeded the call of children around the world to interrupt their business the same way students and young people are leaving their classrooms to rally out in the streets. “Our tills switched off, our shops and offices shut, our website went onto a low energy holding page and our factories came to a standstill,” wrote the company. 

We listened to Greta Thunberg.

At the United Nations Climate Summit on September 23, a rightfully angry 16-year old named Greta Thunberg berated world leaders for failing young people and for stealing her dreams and her childhood with their empty words. It was a speech heard around the world—no Instagram feed or Story was left unadorned by Greta’s likeness and words—sparking outrage across the globe. 

Listen to more activists.

Greta Thunberg is but one of a handful of young girls who are leading the conversation to save the planet and the environment—and thus, by extension, the world’s population. Autumn Peltier, Mari Copeny, Xiye Bastida, Isra Hirsi, Lilly Satidtanasarn, are also notable names in the fight against climate change. It would do good to listen to them as well. 

Support businesses and companies that encourage change.

Lush is only one of a growing number of companies who are taking steps to ensure that they don’t contribute to the world’s ever-increasing carbon footprint. Locally, there are stores who put sustainability at its core—Common Room espouses a “no new paper bag” policy at its physical stores; Sip PH champions waste management solutions, selling metal straws and bamboo utensils, among others; Renegade Folk’s sandals are made out of locally sourced materials by a sapatero in Marikina.

Recognize one’s privilege and place.

Some groups of people are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than others. If you think you have more resources to start living more mindfully and carefully in this planet we call home, take that step. If you’re in a position of privilege to amplify other groups’ voices, say it loud and proud. It may sound trite or cliché, but change really does start with ourselves. Be angry at the state of the world, but don’t stop there. Do your part.