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Protesters brave double-digit wind chill to march for climate change

People are once again taking to the streets in St. John's to demand action on climate change, organized by the Fridays for Future group.

Friday's event, which saw a couple hundred people turn out, is smaller than the massive march held in the capital city on Sept. 27, which drew thousands of people — and was a youth-driven event.

But Leah Hewitt said neither the smaller turnout nor the frigid temperatures have dampened her enthusiasm.

"I'm here because the planet is dying.… Walking up a hill to try to save something, even if its freezing cold, I'm going to do it," she told CBC Radio's On The Go.

The route is the same as the previous rally, with people gathering at Memorial University's clock tower mid-morning — braving subzero temperatures with a double-digit wind chill — and walking to Confederation Building.

The Fridays For Future group is a local branch of the movement started by activist Greta Thunberg in August 2018, according to the organization.

More than 150 countries have participated in Fridays for Future events.

Hewitt said the issue for her goes beyond just showing up to the rallies.

"I'll be starting to make different changes.… I want to get an electric car instead of an oil car, and I think also talking to different people about different things, like the plastic issue," she said.

"A lot of people don't know how bad it is, in a way, even though we are trying to push how bad it is."

Francesca Swann/CBC
Francesca Swann/CBC

Camryn Nichols said she sees herself as part of the global community and this is an issue that affects everyone.

"I'm here to fight for my future," she said Friday.

Like Hewitt, she sees other opportunities, besides attending rallies or protests, where she can have an impact.

She wants to get a degree in astrobiology to "actually fight from the inside out in order to find ways to reverse climate change."

Francesca Swann/CBC
Francesca Swann/CBC

Mackenzie McCarthy is less optimistic, but believes action is needed now in order to prevent things from getting worse.

"I give about 15 years to turn this around before we deal with the repercussions," he said at Friday's event.

"I'm not under the disillusion that things are going to be fixed, that we're going to reverse things back. All we can do now is stop it where we can or slow it down."

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