On Friday, thousands of Vermonters — led by young people throughout the state, the nation and across the globe — joined in a multitude of global climate strikes, walking out into the streets with signs and banners calling the community to recognize the harmful effects of climate change in cities and towns.

In Rutland, they were walking in — to the 77 Art Gallery at 67 Merchants Row, where artists, activists, families and friends gathered to create climate-focused works of art, hear speakers, share food and swap ideas for modifying their everyday lives to be more ecologically sustainable.

Organizer Dave Coppock said the event idea was started by the 350.org Rutland Node in an effort to align Rutland with the rest of the world and stand in solidarity.

“This was our attempt to create a space, especially for youth,” Coppock said. “Express yourself, feelings and concerns, anything to do with the climate.”

Volunteer and organizer Liz Filskov said while she understands shifting lifestyle methods can seem like a difficult transition, the moves can start small: composting food waste, for example, to cut down on the amount of trash they put in landfills.

“Transitioning to a refillable water bottle, preferably one made of metal,” Filskov said. “Being aware of your consumption and buying things that will decompose. Baby-wipes, dryer sheets, things like that don’t break down. Humanity has exceeded its capacity to recycle plastic.”

Parents came with their children and painted flowers, trees and outdoor scenes, while massive chalkboards were scrawled with rainbow messages of hope and urgency inside the building and outside its door where passersby stopped to leave their messages.

Atmospheric researcher Dr. Alan Betts, of Pittsford, said the United States and the rest of the world doesn’t have a choice other than to transition to renewable energy sources as the effects of climate change continues to have drastic effects on the environment with rapid decrease of Arctic ice, intensifying storms and subsequent decimation of biological systems that previously kept Earth’s environments balanced and consistent.

“We are burning 50 million years worth of fossil fuels in 100 years and dumping it all back into the atmosphere fast,” Betts said.

Across the city, the auditorium in Rutland High School filled toward the afternoon with the school’s environmental club, administrators, fellow students and teachers, many of whom held signs saying “Make the Earth Great Again,” and “I am the Lorax, I speak for the Trees.”

After a presentation by the Environmental Club’s faculty adviser Jody Sabataso citing Betts’ work and that of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, the students walked out of school to the flagpole with their signs while classmates shouted “Go Environment,” and other words of encouragement from school buses.

Surrounding the flagpole and hoisting their signs, several teachers briefly laid on the ground across the roadway in protest, while Giovanni Falco, co-president of the Environmental Club called his classmates to action.

“We are the future voters, politicians, activists and scientists,” Falco said as his classmates hoisted their signs higher. “We need to speak out against things we know are going to create social and economical hardships for us.”

World language teacher Marsha Cassel bolstered her students before closing the gathering with a haunting message that the students took solemnly with them.

“It’s about being uncomfortable,” Cassel said. “It’s about sharing. … It’s not just about today. It’s not just about next Friday. … It’s happening. You can make it a little better, but it’s almost too late because we messed up.”

katelyn.barcellos

@rutlandherald.com

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