New York City high school students organize Earth Day protest in response to climate crisis
BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL, BROOKLYN (WABC) -- Dozens of area high school students skipped out on their usual after-school activities and instead participated in a protest to raise awareness about climate change on Friday.
Organizers are calling this one of the largest demonstrations in the city since the march to end fossil fuels last September.
This time around, the group is hoping their demands are heard loud and clear by the Biden administration.
The students marched from Foley Square in Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn Borough Hall to draw attention to their call on the federal government.
Fridays for Future NYC organized the mass walkout, which was comprised mostly of students who are disappointed with President Joe Biden.
Protestors are calling for the commander-in-chief to declare a state of emergency that would meaningfully address the use of fossil fuels.
While the Biden administration said it has been working toward its goal of a 100% clean electricity grid by 2035, students say his efforts to combat the climate crisis are not enough.
They are outraged with the administration's recent approval of a deep-water oil export terminal off the coast of Texas, which they say is fueling a public health crisis that is disproportionately impacting communities of color.
"It's really devastating for the communities that are living near all of those projects like "Cancer Alley" in Louisiana is a perfect example. The cancer rate, there is 50% higher than the rest of us," Helen Mancini said. "And I mean, even here in New York, like people in Brooklyn are struggling with their utility bills being just so much higher because National Grid continues to say we need more fossil fuel infrastructure, but that's not what we need. We need community owned renewables."
Students say this is a hot button issue that will bring them to the polls this November as this is the first presidential election they are eligible to vote in.
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