Local seniors concerned about the environment gathered at a major intersection in Newmarket this afternoon in a bid to fight climate change for the next generations.
More than 30 people from throughout York Region attended the Seniors for Climate Action Now (SCAN) rally at Yonge Street and Mulock Drive, one of many being held across the country on National Seniors Day to raise awareness about climate change initiatives.
Organizer Janice Berger, 88, said that such a rally could hopefully showcase to politicians that seniors have power and care about the environment.
“The seniors that I know are incredibly anxious about the whole thing but they don’t know what to do,” Berger said. “It’s important, I think, to be able to — no matter how you feel about it — to be able to talk to other people and just come together to help each other and support each other.”
Seniors for Climate Action Now called on groups across Canada to organize the rallies as part of National Seniors Day, highlighting that seniors care about the issue across the country. The main event is being streamed from Toronto, featuring activists like David Suzuki.
Several members of Climate Action Newmarket-Aurora were in attendance. Newmarket resident Russ Coles said he wanted to participate because many people are not taking climate change seriously.
“It needs to be one of the top three priorities for folks. It may not be happening to them right now, but it will be happening to them soon and to their children and grandchildren,” Coles said.
Leslie Yates, another Climate Action Newmarket-Aurora member, said she wanted others to see how many people are interested in addressing climate change.
“It’s hard to get people together, especially on a weekday, so this is excellent,” she said.
Aurora resident Lyne Webb said she is extremely concerned about climate change. She said it is a great event, but is a little disappointed by the turnout, wanting to see more than 100 come out.
“The best we can do is to continue to offer more opportunity, for people to hopefully realize that they can come out and do these things,” she said. “Seniors are a great demographic because they usually have the time or can make the time, and they’re worried about their grandchildren.”
Berger said she hopes to continue promoting the cause and also ongoing solutions to address climate change.
“There’s so many solutions that we already have. It’s not all doomsday, it’s let look at these solutions and support that and support the finances to go that way,” she said. “This turnout really, it’s uplifting.”
