Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old climate change activist, is turning heads as she travels around the world to protest climate change.
On Aug. 20, 2018, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg skipped school to protest outside of the Swedish Parliament building for more action from the government against climate change. Since then, she traveled across the world, speaking and leading protests at every stop.
Thunberg travels by boat in order to leave no carbon footprint. Since her first protest over a year ago, she has gotten over 3.6 million people from 169 countries to participate in school walk-outs every Friday, which she calls “Fridays for Future.”
Recently she spoke on a panel at the United Nations, where she called out the United Nations General Assembly, saying, “People are suffering.
People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. And yet all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you?”
Maria Valletto, 24, a Nursing student from Levittown said, “Healing the planet begins at home, work or school. For example, turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth, unplug unused electrical devices, eat the food you buy, and use LED light bulbs.”
Videos of Thunberg staring down President Donald Trump went viral, and her blunt, satirical nature is getting her more attention by the day. Thunberg is nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, and made the front cover of Time Magazine who named her one of the world’s most influential people.
Thunberg sparked opinions of many Bucks students Patrick Lawrence, a 23-year-old business major from Levittown, does not fully support Thunberg’s cause, but does believe that she’s doing a great thing.
“I think that if you truly believe in something, then you should do what you can to support it. I think she’s doing the right thing because it’s something she believes in,” said Lawrence
Thunberg has many critics, most of whom believe she’s just a puppet.
Morgan Fala, a 17-year-old from Hulmeville and a undecided major, said, “Have you seen her speak without a script? She has no idea what she’s talking about
because no one wrote it down for her. She’s a joke.”
Some of her other critics believe that she has no right to confront world leaders the way she is.
“I don’t think denouncing world leaders was a good thing
to do because I’m sure they
already know,” said Dylan Lorenz, a political science major from Langhorne. “She’s making it seem like it’s an easy fix when it’s not.”
Thunberg’s “Friday for Future” protests are held every Friday, and the walkouts are becoming more and more popular. Thunberg also continues to travel internationally, spending a lot of time recently in the Midwest.
Thunberg continues to attract worldwide attention and encourage others to to step up, take action, and get informed.
“She’s going to be a wake-up call to some, some are going to use her as a distraction from getting facts. I don’t think anything is going to happen unless the people with money and power think it’s important,” said Loanna Korifidis, 23, from South Hampton.