Adults should act like these kids

Dear editor: Thank you, David Bond, for your coolheaded, factual article (An explanation for those with heads in the oilsands, Nov 6). I could not agree more.

Your comments come on the heels of my learning that even our youth understands the need for politicians, indeed all adults, to listen to scientific facts and co-operate to safeguard their future.

Such is 11 year-old Sophia Mathur’s message. A resident of Sudbury, Ont., Sophia is the first youth in the Western Hemisphere to strike from school one Friday a month in order to pressure adults to co-operate on the climate-change issue.

She has her mother’s full and informed support.

Sophia is following the footsteps of 15 yearold Swedish Greta Thunberg who strikes by simply sitting outside her parliament. Both young ladies have garnered media attention.

Sophia and Greta are trying to shape their future for the better only because too many politicians are not.

Since we are heading full speed ahead towards catastrophe, it seems logical that the only reasonable thing is to be unreasonable.

It may be disturbing for some that youth are trying to get adults to take their duty of care towards them seriously by taking time off school.

But what is indeed truly disturbing is all the precious time wasted by adults playing partisan politics knowing full well that the youths’ future is imperiled, lest we all cooperate now.

As you mentioned, Mr. Bond, carbon pricing works well when part of a well-designed climate action plan. We should all be lining up behind it, thankful that at least we have that.

We should all be lining up to lighten the burden on our youth.

Carole Lavallee, Chelmsford, Ont.