Local bookshop Gleebooks closed its doors to attend the climate strike in The Domain on September 20. Co-owner David Gaunt said he is highly conscious of the devastating economic and social cost of the climate crisis.
“It is not a ‘distraction’. It is a real and urgent threat to our customers, to our ability to operate successfully as a small business, and to all of society. If Australia wants business as usual, we need immediate action on climate change.”
Alison and Alex are from Mentally Friendly, an independent design consultancy in Redfern. “We’ve come here as a company together, and we want to stand with the students to say no to climate change and to support climate action.
“Our company is focused on wellbeing outcomes, so the products and services we build are always focused on something that can have social impact and make a positive difference in people’s lives.
“We always try to get behind initiatives like this. Our entire company is closed down today – so about 40 people from Mentally Friendly are here somewhere – although it’s a bit hard to find them! We reached out to our clients to get involved in the action as well.
“We’ve all made our own signs today – and it’s really good to be here.”
Kathy is from Scotland Island, in Pittwater, on Sydney’s northern beaches.
“I just don’t want to see the world being destroyed by mining and the temperature of the sea going up and up all the time,” she said. “I think it’s about time the government took action on this. They’ve been doing nothing and funding coal mines instead of getting into alternative energy, which will actually help save the planet.
“It’s time they did something. Because you’re concerned about what sort of a world you’re going to leave for your grandchildren. That’s a really scary thought, actually, with the way things are going, as there are more and more extreme climate events all the time – because everything’s getting out of kilter because of our pollution. The government has got to face up to it and do something about it. When there are enough people, surely, they should take notice and act.”
Michelle and Pam are from Gracepoint and Kirrawee and they’re part of the Knitting Nannas – a group concerned about coal-seam gas mining, which believes the Australian government should take action to mitigate climate change.
“I have a degree in geography,” said Michelle. “I’ve been reading the research for the last 25 years, and teaching about it for 25 years, and I’m very concerned.”
Pam said that, while she is fairly new to the Knitting Nannas, the environment is something she’s been concerned about since she was “knee-high”.
“You don’t get second chances with the environment. With coal-seam gas in fracking, if you destroy the water table, what are you doing to your water supply, and therefore your food supply? These are the things people are not getting – it should be food and water over coal,” she said.
Michelle said Australia has got so many renewable resources it could easily be an energy exporter using renewable resources.
“There’s green hydrogen, solar power and wind power. We’ve got all of these options and we could be a world leader. Australia could be really good if our government took some leadership, and we were a force for good instead of a force that seems to not be doing much about climate change, and not really caring, and especially about the other countries in the Pacific. That’s a real concern.
“You just think about how much money seems to be going into political parties from fossil fuels, and it’s troubling when you realise that, in fact, we’re not getting very many royalties, as [the mining companies] are often not paying their taxes.
“We could have clean industries and retrain people for not very much, and be a world leader.”
Karin and Priya are vegans from Sydney’s north shore.
“Veganism is usually under-represented at these talks and discussions,” Karin said, “which is disappointing. But it’s why I’m here, because it’s the biggest issue.
“Unfortunately, there’s too much money invested – too many politics interested in the industries continuing.’
Priya said people don’t connect diet with climate change, so it doesn’t get enough attention, and people don’t like to talk about it.
“It spoils things for them,” Karin added, “and they have to start making different choices.”
Karin said she’d found it easy to turn to veganism because it was an ethical decision – political and personal.
“I think if you make a decision based on your ethics, it makes everything easier – at least for me it does.”
Priya said her choice to become a vegan was firstly about animal cruelty, and secondly for the planet.
“The third thing was for our own health – as I think it’s a lot better for us to avoid animal fat.
“So, in three ways, veganism is good for everyone!”
If you were at The Domain striking, now is the time to connect with an organisation in your local area, your workplace, or community group. For information about groups you can join in your local area go to stopadani.com/.
