Chanting “The climate depends on you and me” and holding signs saying “There is no planet B” and “Stop carbon emissions by 2030,” more than 100 protesters stood in front of Palo Alto City Hall on April 18 for the annual Earth Day rally.
The theme, “Rally for our future, make polluters pay,” brought together Bay Area organizations such as Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition, 350 Silicon Valley, and Fridays For Future.
Palo Alto High School junior Brendan Giang, a project lead of the Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition and organizer of the protest, said that this year’s protest theme was centered around supporting the Make Polluters Pay Superfund Act — a bill that requires fossil fuel polluters to pay for the climate damages they have caused the state.
“It [The Make Polluters Pay Superfund Act] measures the amount of pollution various individuals [and] organizations have polluted. … So essentially, it’s creating a superfund, thus in the name, helping fund clean energy initiatives and resources for disaster cleanup and things like that,” Giang said.
The protest brought together students from different schools across the city, including Castilleja High School junior Alida Cuttriss, who gave a speech in front of the crowd.
“I want us to keep the animals in mind,” Cuttriss said. “Let’s try and be their voice, because this world is all of our homes. Holding the polluters accountable isn’t just a matter of justice for the people, it’s an act of protection for the thousands of species who depend on us to fight for their right to live and thrive.”
A protester who referred to herself as ‘Granny Ruth,’ a member of the Raging Grannies, went to the protest to express her concerns about specific polluters in the city.
“We can’t save the Earth unless we stop nuclear war, unless we stop capitalism, unless we stop the kind of things that Elon Musk is allowed to do,” Granny Ruth said. “Tesla polluted right here in our creek… and they got away with it… the $750 fine was all the city of Palo Alto [charged them].”
Giang said that even taking small steps to be environmentally friendly can help mitigate the effects of climate change.
“There are so many small things you can buy, resell fashion and wear clothes for longer instead of contributing to fast fashion,” Giang said. “There’s so many things you can do, whatever fits in your lifestyle. That’s what we really want to support. We want to support whatever change people are willing to make.”