This has been a busy summer for climate activists in Kalamazoo. They’re eager to mobilize amid warnings that the world faces catastrophe if it doesn’t drastically cut carbon emissions, and soon. For Kalamazoo Central High School teacher Josh Gottlieb, and rising senior Chloe Carlson, that means bringing the movement to school.
They'll kick off a year of "Fridays for Future," following the example of 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, on September 20. That's also a global day of action on climate change. The event at Central is one of several planned for Kalamazoo.
On this edition of WestSouthwest, Gottlieb and Carlson explain why they'll be reaching out to Stryker and Pfizer this year, how they plan to "deliver the United States to Greta" by growing the American climate-centered youth movement, and whether they subscribe to the idea that climate activists should be upbeat in their messaging to avoid scaring people.