3 months after we officially started the Schools for Climate Action Campaign, climate-disaster struck our community.
There is deep, bitter irony behind this picture that reflects the absurdity and tragedy of the climate situation we now find ourselves as a generation (of elders) and of a nation. Kai and Lola were lead advocates engaging the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution endorsing a national carbon tax. The Board of Supervisors was enthusiastic and unanimous. To encourage Kai and Lola asyouth advocates, our Supervisor, Lynda Hopkins, invited Kai and Lola to return to officially "receive" the Gold Resolution on the day that the Sonoma County Board of Supervisor's officially passed the resolution. Tragically and ironically, that day was October 10th, 2017, the 2nd day of the Tubbs fire. The homes of 1400 children were literally smouldering within 5 miles of this photo. The masks were not for dramatic effect. Ironically, increased fire severity is listed in the resolution as a climate change impact a national carbon tax might help mitigate. Also on this day, Scott Pruitt signed the first paperwork to start the process of dismantling the Clean Power Plan.
Sonoma County educators and education leaders were heartbroken by the trauma we witnessed young people experience due to this climate-related disaster. Young people knew that we, as a nation, were not acting according to our shared values by our climate inaction and climate justice silence. They respected our democratic process and local adult leaders enough to call out the best qualities in them. In the aftermath of the Sonoma County fire, more than a dozen Sonoma school boards passed climate action resolutions.
