CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. – Carihi and Timberline want change, now.
A number of students from the high schools walked out on Friday, standing in front of the Campbell River city hall to make themselves heard.
Diego Christian-Barker, a grade nine student from Carihi High, said they want the city to ban plastic bags and straws.
“The city plans to analyze the effects of climate change. They said plastic bags and bylaws can be a part of (the change). They said they can put a five-cent charge on bags, but that really is not effective. As we know, five cents, ten cents, it doesn’t really affect whether you’re going to buy a bag or not,” Christian-Barker said.
“I feel that there could be more initiative, and it (climate action) could be sped up.”
Friday’s walk out was organized by three Carihi students, Lola Critchlow, Avery Howse, and Brianna Pollock.
The said they were part of the global walkout in mid-March, but they organized another one and hope to do it every Friday.
“Different towns and cities can register for different dates. You can do a one-time walkout, or until there’s a difference. We’re hoping Carihi High will do them every Friday, until we move closer towards no plastic bags,” Critchlow said.
Pollock added that there are easy solutions, such as carrying reusable bags for groceries. Christian-Barker mentioned that there are also other options like paper, metal and bamboo straws.
“Just even sipping out of a cup is not that hard to do,” he said.
“Paper bags are a good option, because they’re eventually biodegradable. But even if they’re better than plastic, we still need to develop a better idea on what to do with them after.”
They said all of them are determined to see climate action on the part of the city, and will do Friday walkouts rain or shine.
