Air pollution causes 8 million human deaths each year. Pollution from coal in South Africa has given the Witbank area the title of the World's Dirtiest Air. Water pollution causes 5 million human deaths each year. By 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas. Cape Town was the first major city to nearly run out of water. Some 40% of soil is seriously degraded due to industrial agriculture. If we keep on this path, soil for growing food could be wiped out in 60 years. About 90% of all big fish are gone from our oceans and seafood could be wiped out in 40 years. Over 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into our ocean every year. Roughly 40% of all living species are at risk of extinction due to human activities. We have only 10 years to stabilize the climate change damage we have already done. Our allies, the trees, can help fight climate change, but forests continue to be destroyed at the rate of 27 soccer fields every single minute. We do not have the luxury to waste time contemplating further destructive industrial activities that serve to enrich a few while future generations and species are left to suffer the irreversible consequences. It is both immoral and a serious human rights violation. As the youth, we are full of anxiety about the future, because in our lifetimes and in the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren, there will be terrible suffering due to environmental damage already done. We were not the ones that created the problems that we face, but we are confronted with the stark consequences. Students around the world are asking for adults and decision makers to help them take care of the environment today so that we have a future of hope, not suffering.
Join us in KwaNonqubela, Alexandria on September 19 to take part in a global climate strike where millions of us walk out of our homes and workplaces to join young people in the streets for the biggest global climate strike yet.
Our house is on fire. The climate crisis is an emergency but we’re not acting like it. Invite your colleagues, friends, family, clubs, and community. We need everyone.
Meet us at 11 am on September 19 2019 at Ukhanyo Secondary School at 558 Takuta St., KwaNonqubela, Alexandria.