PHOTOS: Students Make Their Voices Heard On Climate Change

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Protesters outside Kerry County Council buildings on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean

STUDENTS came out in their hundreds yesterday to protest about how the Government isn’t doing enough to combat Climate Change.

While protests took place outside Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí and Mercy Mounthawk, around 200 students from schools all over Tralee and beyond went to Kerry County Council buildings in Rathass as part of the global #FridaysForFuture movement.

There they brandished their placards and chanted slogans expressing their dissatisfaction at the current situation. They received great support from the general public too as they honked their car horns in approval.

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Barry Sugrue, a sixth year student from Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí, was one of the organisers along with Niamh O’Shea and Ciara Boyd.

“The reason we did it during school hours is because we feel what is the point in studying  for a future that might not be there,” said Barry. “As you can see, a lot of the people here are under 18 and don’t have the vote or a voice, so we wanted them to have one here. We gathered suggestions from about 200 people online and narrowed them down to 10 to email to county councillors, not the TDs, because we want this done in Kerry,” said Barry.

Protesters outside Kerry County Council buildings on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean

The event had nothing to do with the local secondary schools and was initiated by young people independently.

Those 1o suggestions are as follows;

1) To put more bins throughout the county. Mainly in towns and particularly on popular walkways such as by the canal etc.

2) To have separate bins for different waste within the town and the county.

3) Inform as many households as possible how to dispose of waste properly.

4) To encourage supermarkets across the county to reduce their plastic usage. Of course, we understand that it is ultimately up to shop owners to implement measures. However, if it is possible to help food stores to promote the use of fabric bags for fruit and vegetables and to limit plastic packaging, we feel it would be hugely worthwhile.

5) To implement a ban on plastic straws and plastic bags which are non-biodegradable.

6) To introduce more cycle lanes across the town and the county, such as the Fenit Road.

7) Encourage businesses to us hemp plastics which is a biodegradable source.

8) Provide free parking for electric cars.

9) Place more seabins in our waters.

10) Promote resuable containers for lunch.

Protesters outside Kerry County Council buildings on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean

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Protesters outside Kerry County Council buildings on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean

Protesters outside Kerry County Council buildings on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean

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Protesters outside Kerry County Council buildings on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean