Climate At Crossroads Sends Santa Clara Co. Singing, Marching

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — With Santa Clara County's youth climate strike and rally planned Friday afternoon from the Diridon transit station to City Hall, the ever-present Raging Grannies are showing the climate isn't the only thing a' changing.

Activist group member Paula Rochelle rehearsed that morning special versions of "climate-oriented" songs geared to wake up the hundreds within earshot for the rally with speakers and resource fair at San Jose City Hall. The 3:30 p.m. rally was staged 45 minutes after the strike and march from San Jose's Diridon transit station to City Hall.

"Doomed" is how Rochelle characterized the state of the planet in respect to climate.

Climatologists have predicted for years that sure signs of change that leads to permanent detriment will come in the form of shrinking glaciers, sea-level rise and extreme weather events with catastrophic events from fire storms to unprecedented blizzards and hurricanes.

But it is the underlying hope that actions such as those on Santa Clara County streets will make a difference in stemming the tide of this global issue.

It coincides with the environmental mantra: "Think globally, act locally."

Locally with the Raging Grannies taking part in a youth strike, one could say it's activism of the mature crowd colliding with the younger set.

"Protests are the hope of the oppressed," said Rochelle, who had also arranged to speak at an Ethical Culture discussion before the Silicon Valley Youth Climate Strike that's part of the Global Climate Strike. "It means, (takes) solidarity with others. It's about showing up."

From there, Rochelle broke out into an altered version of "London Bridge Is Falling Down" to serenade those rallying against an altered climate:

"Scientists have got it right, got it right, got it right. Scientists have got it right. We’re in Trouble.

Droughts and floods are on the rise, on the rise, on the rise. Droughts and floods are on the rise. We need science.

Denying science, will not work, will not work. Denying science will not work. We need science."

Aside from the accompanying entertainment amid a serious issue that not all subscribe to believing in, the climate strike, rally and march across the United States and over the globe represents a crossroads that enlisted scientists in the cause decades ago.

Predictions from top scientists give the planet one more before its "death sentence" is signed, the Bay Area for Clean Environment activist organization contends.

"Never has there been a more important time than now to rally together and hold accountable the human-caused factors that continue to contribute to climate change. Seeing images of Sydney, Tokyo, New Delhi, Islamabad, Bangkok, Berlin and other cities across the world makes me excited for San Jose's event as we join the world in the Climate Strike," said California Assemblyman Ash Kalra, who's expected to show up in his jurisdiction for the rally. "I am inspired by the youth and students who are leading these protests and I am more committed than ever to fight for our environment."

The San Francisco Bay Area group joins a who's who list of civic leaders, activists and those seeking engagement to support the cause. They are:

• U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna
• Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese
• San Jose Councilman Raul Peralez
• 350 Silicon Valley
• De Anza College VIDA
• Human Agenda
• Mothers Out Front South Bay
• Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
• SV Youth Climate Action
• Climate Reality Project, Santa Clara County
• League of Women Voters of San Jose, Santa Clara
• South Bay Progress Alliance
• March for Science
• Orchard City Indivisible
• Carbon Free Silicon Valley
• Campbell Union High School Teachers Association
• Vibha Youth Chapter
• Climate Youth Ambassador powered by SVCE

The international protest comes days before the United Nations Climate Action Summit taking place on Sept. 23 in New York City, where leaders from government, business and civil society are expected to address the global climate emergency.

"Together, we will sound the alarm and show our politicians that business as usual is no longer an option," reads the official Global Climate Strike page. "The climate crisis won’t wait, so neither will we."