Victoria Stone-Meadows

People all over the country walked out of work and school today to call on the federal government to take more action on Climate Change and Mossman was no different.

Caitlin Nulty, 14, who organised a school strike for the climate in Mossman last year, was again the driving force behind people holding signs under the rain trees in Mossman today.

She said the goal of the protest was to raise awareness of the changing climate and to encourage people to make changes to their habits to help save the planet.

“We want to save the planet and save mine, my friends, and everyone’s future on the planet,” she said.

She said she was grateful for the people that joined her and supported the cause but was hoping more of her school friends would have got involved.

“Once I put it out there, the adults were on board but it was quite hard to get students involved,” she said.

“I did expect more students and there were some promises put out there that weren’t exactly successful but I’m hoping the message still gets across.”

Ms Nulty said the reason she organised the protest is that she is worried about the future of the climate and wants others to think about their part in helping save it.

“I woke up one morning and thought about it and it just clicked and I wanted to organise this to spread it to the public why we should be doing this,” she said.

“It is quite upsetting that we need to do this and we need to take time off school to be able to do this.

“I want people to see these signs and hear our vices and go home and really think about it. To do some research and start making small changes, any small change makes a big difference.”

She said there are many things people can do in their lived to help reduce the impact of their actions on the environment.

“People can do things like stop using single-use plastics, if in a financial state to do so to use solar panels, switching lights off, tuning taps off, having shorter and not so hot showers, and more.”

The school strike for climate has drawn criticism for encouraging young people to take time off school to march in protests.

However, Ms Nulty said if it takes her and her friends taking time off school people to listen to their message then she will continue to do it.

“We don’t want to annoy people into listening to us,” she said.

“I want to get my passion and my word out there but I don’t want to annoy people and for it to be too much.

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but they need to understand that it’s up to us and my generation has to make the difference and if it takes leaving school to do this then that’s what we have to do.”