The Climate is Changing… So Why Aren’t We?

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On Friday, the 20th of September, the Eco Schools Team, formerly known as SEEDs, organized and led a protest to speak up about climate action. They listed their main concerns about our school’s contribution to climate change. Students from both middle and high school joined and walked around campus, shouting slogans such as, “What do we want? Climate action! When do we want it? Now!” and “The sea levels are rising, so are we!” The Eco Schools Team organized this strike to take part in the international Friday For Future, school strike for climate, movement to show how even a “small community in Myanmar … can participate in the global movement.”

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Students are shouting the chants.

―Photographed by Mary.

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Students are holding the posters that they made.

―Photographed by Mary.

A student is shouting the chants out loud.

―Photographed by Mary.

Anna is giving a speech on the strike.

―Photographed by Mary.

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All participants were motivated and determined to create an impact at ISY, bringing more awareness to the things we do that negatively affect the environment. Eco Schools Team leaders talked about the importance of eliminating single-use plastics on campus, such as petitioning for banning bubble tea orders, since they abundantly utilize single-use plastics. They also mentioned how the usage of ACs should be regulated to temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius.

Charlotte Rickert (Grade 10 student leader of Eco Schools) was interviewed after the strike and told Global that, “As the president of the Eco Schools Team, I can say that we are working on making ISY more eco-friendly, including AC regulations and plastic bans. But until we actually get that through with the board it will be the students’ responsibility to not bring any plastic on campus.” She emphasized the importance of student initiative when it comes to striving towards environmentally-friendly habits. When asked about future plans for the Eco Schools Team, she responded with, “We are working on making ISY a certified Eco School, through a 7 step plan that will take 2 years involving forming an eco-committee, surveying the school on their sustainability, correcting any mistakes to make ISY as eco-friendly as possible, and more. Once we have established the committee and finished the surveys, we will focus on other environmental issues ISY has for the rest of the year. This is because the Eco Schools certificate cannot be achieved all at once.”

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Charlotte and Anna are leading the protest.

―Photographed by Mary.

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Anna Joicey, another student leader of the Eco Schools Team, said, “Thank you, thank you so much for coming. Without you guys there, the strike would have never happened!” She marveled at the number of participants, stating “I wasn’t expecting as many people to join as they did, and it went pretty well overall, and I think we got our message across.”

All Eco Schools Team members were grateful for the outcome of the strike and hoped to see students who were unable to join this time, in forthcoming strikes.

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Students are actively participating in the protest.

―Photographed by Global.

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