Greta's Army: 'Why we're skipping school to save the planet'
Many idols take the form of sporting heroes or music legends, but tomorrow two teenagers from Bristol will meet their heroine, 17-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg at the Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate protest.
Before they take to the streets, Milly Sibson, 17, and Lily Fitzgibbon, 17, bring their banners to the studio to explain why they are prepared to sacrifice their education for the sake of the planet, and what meeting Greta will mean to them.
Explaining the Youth Strike for Climate Change movement to Phillip and Holly, Lily said, "We strike monthly in Bristol, and we have a series of national demands, and local demands."
Phillip asked how they felt about taking the day off school to strike. Milly revealed, "We've got to think about our futures, and the climate is something that is deteriorating even as we speak. Even though we're not noticing it right now in Bristol, in the UK - some places in the UK are noticing it with the flooding - but places like Kiribati, Israel, they're all seeing the effects of climate change right now. The fact that we're missing a day off school, which we can catch up on our lessons, and it really feels like it's for the bigger picture."
Lily added that their schools are, "as supportive as they can be. Obviously they're not always allowed to authorise our absences, but if your parent gets in contact, they are allowed to take you out of school. I think it really helps that both of us do keep on top of our school work, we catch up. We're both going to university soon. We do want to succeed educationally as well, we just think that this is more important.
Milly revealed why activism is so important to them, "It gives you that voice that you feel like you don't have when you're on the sidelines. It's that feeling of helplessness, when you don't know what you can actually do - activism gives you that opening for that way that you can get your voice heard in a place where you normally wouldn’t think you could do it.”
The pair went on to discuss how previously they have marched against Bristol’s airport expansion, which has since been stopped. They’re also passionate about reforming the National Curriculum to include climate change education, as well as lowering the voting age to 16.
Phillip said: “I have the greatest admiration for you guys.”
Asked if they think we’re taking adequate steps forward to tackle climate change, Milly said, “We need things to be put into place to make it easier for consumers to make these informed decisions.”
Lily added, “It’s about removing the easy way out in some cases and also just making it as accessible as possible to be green, to be sustainable.”
On speaking with Greta about the strikes on Skype, Lily said: “Well, she actually got in contact with me directly at first and then her team did… She texted me last Thursday and we have been working round the clock ever since, because normally we have a month for these sorts of things.”
So did Greta live up to Lily's expectations? “I think she really did. She seems so humble and not full of herself. She’s doing this for the message, it’s not about ego at all. She has no interest in the press, no interest in being this leader. She is a figurehead for our movement, but that’s really just because we find her inspirational. I think she wants to be a striker like anyone else.”
And on Greta coming to Bristol, Milly added, “It promotes this whole idea of regional diversity for the UK… to have something happen outside of London is really exciting… Some companies are providing coaches to provide transport so people can come from all over the UK to hear her speak.”