With The Tides, We Rise: Climate Justice (Volume 1)

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ABOUT THE ANTHOLOGY The Water Damaged Paper Anthology (WDPA) is a print and web-based publication that provides a platform for young people across the world to share their justice-centred writing & artwork and engage in creativity as a powerful tool for changemaking. This project was created in direct response to the lack of magazines and literary / art journals that accepted submissions from young people, particularly those under the age of 18, free of cost.

The name Water Damaged Paper speaks to how the voices of youth are often watered down, overlooked, and dismissed. We are often told that we are not old enough to enact meaningful change, denied a seat at the table, and not taken seriously by adults and institutions alike. While they may dilute our words, passions, stories, and demands for change, we will not be silenced. The naming of the anthology was inspired by this sentiment.

Each volume of the WDPA centres a different justice-centred issue. Volume 1 surrounds climate justice and is titled, “With the Tides, We Rise” and Volume 2, “Through Love, We Unite”, touches on the LGBTQ2S+ community and intersectional feminism.

The Water Damaged Paper Anthology’s work takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and stolen homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm ̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and (Musqueam), Sḵwx səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, colonially known as Vancouver, BC.

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STOLEN YOUTH

by Scotty Lando demeter and i walk hand and hand through the fresh spring fields the earth opens and it is she who is swallowed, dragged to the pits of hell still grasping me yet this time, it is not hades or even his servants who bring her, but the greedy arms of all mankind the residents of the underworld decades dead, and now claiming her for their own the winter falls again. we stand as atlas heads bowed, backs breaking too young to bear the burden of the centuries this gift we have been given, the very ground beneath our feet, is crumbling we cannot pass this on to future generations like those before did unto us to look away is to be complicit. to enjoy the blissful promises of youth is to be ignorant. we have no choice but to march on to walk until we can no longer to shout and scream and beg until our voices are gone, and we are gone sinking, sinking into the below as Gaea bids us farewell, and prepares to start anew.

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THE ENVIRONMENT INTERTWINES WITH US

by Charm Batilo 4

LET YOUTH BE HEARD

by Iris Zhang If you are 35 years old or younger, you have never experienced normal climate. I am a 14year-old freshman and climate change is something that my fellow Generation Z teens and I have grown up with. It has always been looming out there, occasionally making an appearance in some conversations but never really mentioned because we think of it as a faraway problem that is too political and taboo. We think of climate change as just another depressing headline, always happen to someone else, but for the first time in our history, we have seen the clear evidence that our burning of fossil fuels has caught up to us. Climate change is affecting us all in the near future if not already.

The Juliana vs. U.S. case has been ignored for three years, constantly delayed just like the action on climate in this country.

We cannot normalize this new kind of world.

For the first time we've seen a summer full of breaking records, from heat and droughts, to the destructive wildfires that never seem to stop and flash flooding in our area threatening every Marylander. We have seen more catastrophic hurricanes like Harvey, Maria Florence, and Michael and we thought we could postpone acting on climate change until later? My generation and those younger will have to live in a very different world than the one we have grown up in, but it does not have to be this way.

The Fall 2018 IPCC report says that we have no choice but to stay under 1.5 °C. This is a serious wake-up call that shows we need to be taking ambitious action that should 5

have already happened years ago. We have less than 11 years to avert irreversible crisis. This does not mean we procrastinate for a few years then take action; this means we need to create an aggressive sciencebased climate recovery plan to make up for the decades of inaction. We can no longer think now or never, it's now and now!

The U.S. federal government has violated our constitutional rights to life, liberty and property by knowingly allowing fossil fuel corporations to continue to be subsidized.

70% of global emissions come from just 11 companies and the U.S. accounts for a fourth of all global emissions. The corporations responsible for this mess have known about this the whole time. The government has the responsibility to protect us from polluters and make them pay.

We have known about climate change for way too long and yet. Despite this, politicians on both sides continue to allow fossil fuel companies to fund their campaigns instead of putting us first. 25 years ago, we could be excused for not knowing or doing much about climate change, but today we have no more excuses. The U.S is the richest, most technologically advanced country in the world, which should mean that we are also investing in a green economy.

We cannot let billionaire corporations get away with their damage. The world is moving ahead with new actions every day, showing us that it is indeed possible to sustain our environment. Why does access to clean air and water have to be controversial or partisan? But before you feel angry and apathetic, let us remember that we create political will. I believe, no I know, that 6

we will reach a sustainable economy that boosts our country’s GDP, creates jobs, and saves lives.

Citizens must elect leaders who will make climate a priority, initiate 100% renewable policies, and make polluters pay! We know what we need but our elected officials need to know that we care, that these solutions must come fast. Imagine if all of us voted and the change we could create. That is what democracy looks like! Climate change is no longer something we can think about and occasionally forget. We must break the cycle!

We students are the next generation. We need to learn not only about how to be good students but also how to be unafraid to raise our voices. We are not only the future but the now, the ones who will be most affected by climate change, so we must use our voices and our vote to carve the path to real justice.

Young people need to learn how to fight for climate rights just as they learn how to read and write. We will show the older generations there is no choice but to act.

We will all win this fight for a livable future. We have got everything to lose if we do not act but absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain if we do act. Youth might be 25% of our world population but we are 100% of our future!

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GENERATION THEFT

by Hannah Regan

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MESSAGE FROM THE ARTIST This piece depicts the effects of climate change on central villages in the Middle East and South Asia. The intentional use of watercolour acts as an ironic commentary to the fact that water levels are scarce. Water levels are scarce to the extent where women have to carry the weight of not only their thirsty children, but pots of water, back and forth from far distances.

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CLEAN POTS, DIRTY CHILDREN

By Malaika Sahukhan

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REVERSING THE DROUGHT

by Zainab Sayedain i hope it’s worth it to pour life and energy into a river that has always run dry, and to hope it understands that this is its cue to flow. move and interact with the shards of glass and the completeness that envelopes it, collaborate with the air that has been tainted and still tries to be so sweet. scratches will turn into wounds that run deep. ripples will turn into waves that slap back. i sometimes wonder how much to pour, as to grasp how much i have left. but i will continue to muster my strength and pour, even when the bounty of “we can do more” turns into the dregs of “well, this is my life now.” even when i settle for how it is, and i forget to wonder how it could be.

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i need to put the cauldron down sometimes, because it weighs more than it seems and one may mistake me for a witch if i hold it proudly enough, or even just stand by it, really. dear river and mountains, dear tiring and tireless, do not allow this strength to have been gained in vain

by Emma Lim

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THE EFFECTS OF MELTING ICE SHEETS

by Soraya Dutto The Arctic has long been characterized by glistening icefields, a thick layer of permafrost, and thriving wildlife who have adapted to polar temperatures. Spanning from Greenland, Siberia, and Svalbard, to Alaska, and northern Canada, it also serves as a home for many.

Additionally, Arctic Canada is comprised of the traditional territories of the Inuit, who rely on frigid conditions to preserve their rich cultural traditions. Not only do the people and wildlife who call the Arctic home depend on cold temperatures and ice, but the region also serves to keep the entire planet at a livable temperature.

Because ice sheets are an optic shade of white, the majority of sunlight that hits the ice is reflected from its surface back into the atmosphere. Conversely, when the sun hits open ocean, only 7% of light is reflected, resulting in more warmth being stored in our planet.

Despite being a harsh biome to survive in, the Arctic is extremely important for survival and preservation of traditions, wildlife, and the world itself. The Arctic has been more affected than most biomes, as it has been warming at twice the global average. The impacts of this drastic warming trend are widespread. Wildlife populations 13

are in rapid decline; sea levels are rising significantly, and food security is being jeopardized.

Wildlife inhabiting the Arctic have long been adapted to the biome’s harsh conditions.

Many animals rely on sea ice, as well as the snow cover, for food sources and habitat protection. The Arctic is a fragile biome there are not a lot of food sources and a minor change could crumble the ecosystem.

The melting sea ice is creating a plethora of problems for animals living far north such as walruses, who have historically rested on the sea ice. As it melts further, animals are required to take refuge on land, where they are disturbed by human activity and other predators who did not access the ice previously.

As sea ice decreases, it opens up more areas for shipping, fishing, and industry further north. This can disturb the natural habitat of whales and disrupt their communication system. Lesser-known species are indeed feeling the effects of climate change as well. The Saimaa ringed seal resides only in Finland’s Lake Saimaa, where only about 370 remain. The situation is no better for animals who reside upon the land in Arctic territory. Muskoxen and reindeer, for example, rely on snow cover to find food.

When it rains and the rain freezes on the ground, it makes it more difficult to graze upon lichen, for the animals are used to 14

grazing through snow. Other animals, like the Arctic fox, are at risk of being hunted by other breeds of foxes who previously could not survive in the Arctic.

Likely the most recognizable Arctic animal is the polar bear. The emaciated polar bear perched upon a measly piece of ice has become a metaphor of sorts for the melting ice and the climate crisis in general. The lack of sea ice is making hunting difficult for polar bears, which has resulted in the trademark stick-thin polar bear.

The issue with the decline of these species is the common denominator that they all share - climate change. The melting ice caps, the lack of snow cover, and the increase of human activity and industry in the Arctic are all effects, be it direct or indirect, of global warming. When this many species are declining in such a delicate region, the entire ecosystem is put at risk. Climate change is not only threatening to decimate individual species, but also putting an entire ecosystem in jeopardy.

Furthermore, global warming is threatening traditions of the Inuit people, many of which rely on ice and snow. The Inuit have historically used the snow and icy landscape for many basic needs. Due to the climate crisis, their land is being compromised. Now that ice is melting, places like Nunavut, where the Inuit people traditionally used snow and ice as a highway of sorts, are becoming more isolated.

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As well, food security is being threatened.

Traditional hunting techniques are becoming obsolete with the disappearance of ice, snow, and wildlife. It is more difficult to access ice that is safe to travel over and wildlife is becoming scarcer.

While virtually everyone is affected by warming temperatures in some way or another, the Inuit are facing an additional problem - their culture is being decimated along with the ice. This issue is being severely overlooked by society, which serves to emphasize the disregard society has for intersectionality regarding the climate crisis. While everyone will feel the effects of global warming sooner or later, people who live further north are facing more problems than most of society realizes.

Recall that the Arctic serves as the world’s “air conditioner,” keeping temperatures at bay. As the Arctic warms at twice the global average, the ice is melting fast. As water warms along with the air, ice caps continue to melt from both sides. This creates an infinite loop – as the ice melts, the water warms, which melts the ice further. Melting from glaciers and ice sheets could also affect ocean currents. Between June 11 and 20 of 2019, the Greenland ice sheet lost the equivalent of 80 billion tonnes of ice.

This not only impacts Greenland but also the rest of the world.

While a majority of people are familiar with the fact that sea levels are rising, the 16

catastrophic impact certain communities are facing is often overlooked. It is estimated that if the entire Greenland ice sheet melted, sea levels would rise by 23ft, which would flood many communities worldwide.

Though we have not yet reached that tipping point, many are already fighting to survive the rising sea.

For instance, Kiribati, a cluster of small islands in the south Pacific, is at high risk. Situated right at the equator, the island country’s highest point is only a couple meters above sea level. It is not a wealthy country and thus, the threat of rising tides has a greater risk of permanently damaging the island. Damage from storms could become more severe. As well, crops growing on the island are being threatened by the approaching sea - the tides are approaching land only a few metres away from the island’s crops, such as taro.

A 2017 study by Nature Journal studied 150 threatened species living in 85km2 of the South Pacific. Of the 2000 islands studied, over 40% of them had a maximum elevation of less than 10m. Over one-third of the animals researched had lost the ability to move.

This combination does not bode well for the survival of animals such as the giant bandicoot or Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo.

The scarce and slowly disappearing habitats of these animals could mean the extinction of many species due to climate change.

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Everyone will be affected by the climate crisis sooner or later, but in different ways, to different degrees, and varying timeframes. Not only are animals, people and cultural traditions being threatened in the Arctic, but also islands across the globe, as well as the people and animals who inhabit them.

Melting ice and rising tides are just one facet of the climate crisis as a whole.

Action must be taken, for it is only a matter of time before the entire world is at stake.

CLIMATE ACTION NOW

by Neils Jilderda

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MONTREAL CLIMATE STRIKE

by Lucy Everett

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2126

by Lola Rabinovitch My name is Nova, I’m 18 years old and my pronouns are she and her. I moved to the city of Vancouver four years ago with my dads and little brother. One of my dads is an innovator; he essentially gets hired on different contracts to find sustainable solutions to problems for various companies.

The other is a cosmological chemist who’s currently comparing planets and other space structures in the Milky Way. Guess which one suggested the names Supernova and Alkali for their own kids? Pardon my disdain, but I’m never going to live that one down.

Last Thursday didn’t start going downhill until I dropped my holo-watch into the depths of the Skytrain tracks. But Nova, you’re probably thinking, how can you drop your watch when it’s literally attached to your wrist? Well, I was having an exciting conversation with my friends Tal and Zephyr at the station and you’ll just have to trust that there was some violent gesticulation involved. When we arrived at the school garden, the other students were already at work. Indigo ran up to greet us.

“Quick, go get some equipment from the shed, we have an hour to plant all the produce seeds for next month’s lunch program!” She exclaimed. I went in to find a shovel.

Except, I never did find one, because the whole pile fell right on top of my head. I 20

remember hearing Tal yell “Nova, you good in there?” before everything went black.

I woke up in a pile of plastic the size of a Skytrain car. I immediately knew that something strange was happening, because mass production and distribution of plastic products were banned decades before I was born. I’ve never seen more than a handful of plastic in one place, let alone this mountain. I spread my limbs like a floppy starfish and rolled my way off the edge.

Signs indicated that I was still on Ontario St., but this was not the Vancouver I knew.

The street was wide enough for actual cars to drive down. Where the garden would have been, there was just a gloomy set of buildings. I started to panic when I found a marina that looked out on a much larger version of False Creek. It was as if someone had hooked up a hose to the sea and let it flow for 10 years. I tried taking some deep breaths to calm down and instantly regretted it. The air in this strange place was so hard to breathe. Before my shock could escalate, I heard two voices calling my name.

“Nova, what are you doing?” Tal half-yelled at me, “I know plastic sorting class is lame, but you can’t just ditch us like that!”

“Hold Where first was a

up, what happened to gardening class? did all this plastic come from in the place? Last time I checked, plastic by-product of fossil fuel extraction.”

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“Yeah,” confirmed Tal, “that’s why we stopped producing it a while ago when we exhausted all the planet’s crude oil-“ “YOU WHAT?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. When did all the oil get used up?

I didn’t know what these two had learned in activism class, but oil was completely phased out of commercial use by 2032.

“Sorry,” I continued, “I think I passed out.

Will you help me get back to the garden?”

“You fainted? Oh my gosh, are you okay?”

Indigo exclaimed. Her glove slid down, revealing her watch, the display reassured me that it was indeed May 29, 2126. I could rule time travel out of the possible explanations for my situation. “Also, what’s a garden?” Indigo added. It took every ounce of my self-control to not explode at her. How could she have suddenly forgotten what a garden is? Was this some sort of elaborate prank?

“A garden is where we plant and grow food.

That way we don’t have to ship it in from other regions.” I explained, my sarcasm being met with genuinely confused faces. I didn’t dare speak my mind. Suddenly, Indigo emerged from the doors of the school.

“The office just got word of a hurricane watch! All classes are dismissed and school is postponed until further notice! Let’s go,” said Indigo.

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The four of us took the Skytrain home together. I looked down upon the city as we rode east. Tall buildings separated by wide roads were the norm in this alternate reality and I spotted many cars on the move.

I had only ever ridden in a shared solarpowered car on the highway. I wondered if this world would ever catch up to the advancement of the one I somehow left this morning. I headed in the direction of what was hopefully still be my co-op, but Papa stopped me in front of what I suppose was our house in this universe.

“Nova! I’m so glad you were dismissed. I’ve been trying to reach you for the past hour.

A category five hurricane is set to hit the SW coast in 4hrs. We think we’ll have a better chance of avoiding its centre if we evacuate to Whistler. I’ll grab your emergency clothes; we’ll meet in the car.”

As we began our journey, the clouds rolled in and rain started to fall. By the time we crossed the Lions Gate bridge, it was a complete downpour. I gazed sadly down at what was left of Stanley Park. The sea had completely swallowed the seawall, and the area that I knew to be forested was covered in what looked like office buildings. I missed the world that I used to inhabit. I missed climbing trees and biking through the streets. I missed the taste of the carrots, radishes and lettuce that I grew myself. The next hour went by relatively uneventfully.

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It wasn’t until we were about 30 minutes from Whistler that things took a turn for the worse. The rain intensified and soon enough, the car stopped. Papa suggested that we take our bags and leave the car to find higher ground. That way, we wouldn’t get swept away in the event of a flash flood.

We were taking a quick break to catch our breath when the wind began. Raindrops became icy daggers that pelted my face at a supersonic speed. The hurricane was getting closer by the second. I could feel our collective fear, but I knew the only option was to keep climbing.

As we continued our trek, the wind grew stronger. I was about to suggest that we stop again when I noticed a large, loose branch hanging from a nearby tree. I yelled a warning to my dads, but I didn’t think they heard me over the intense rustling of the wind and violent splatting of the rain.

They dragged Kal closer and closer to the tree, and I watched with dread as the branch headed straight for Kal’s head. With a burst of adrenaline, I leaped up the hill, pushed my brother forward and blocked his body from the falling branch. My vision was obscured and then I was falling, falling, falling, falling...

I woke up in a soft bed to the sounds of beeping machines and rushed voices. My eyes opened and I saw an ocean of white. I sighed 24

in relief; I had to be in a hospital room.

Then I remembered the brutal storm and started desperately looking around for Kal and my dads. A tall figure in a light blue hospital uniform walked up to my bed and talked softly to me.

“Hi Nova, I’m doctor Kato and I’ve been monitoring your state for the past few hours.

I’m so glad to see that you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“I’m tired, and a bit sore,” I said, giving my limbs a stretch.

“You had quite an accident. We detected a rare strain of bacteria in your left foot, and we’ve given you some antibiotics to counteract it.”

“What about my family? Are they here too?”

I asked her anxiously. Can I see them now?”

“Sure,” replied Doctor Kato kindly. Before she left, I asked about the hurricane.

“There was no hurricane, Nova,” she said, “that sounds like a scary nightmare, but you don’t have to worry. You’re safe here.” I was immediately thrown into another bought of confusion. Had I escaped the chaotic alternate reality that had almost killed my family? How was this possible? A few minutes later, my dads burst into my room, followed

by Kal. We hugged and talked, and I quickly 25

realized that the three of them were also oblivious to the natural disaster.

“Nova, honey,” said Dad, “there hasn’t been a hurricane that strong for years.”

“Seems like those gardening shovels knocked you out cold,” added Papa.

“Thanks for saving me in your dream!” said a wide-eyed Kal. “It wasn’t a dream.” I pleaded, desperately pointing at my left foot. “It couldn’t have been. You think a shovel cut my ankle like this? Where did my rare infection even come from? Plastic, I tell you, plastic!” But it was no use. They told Doctor Kato that I was experiencing delusions.

Luckily, I got access to a holo-screen starting the next day. I used it to learn about the history of climate change. I discovered that if the past had played out differently, I would live in a dystopia like the one that I’d just visited. Never had I been so glad that the world leaders of the early 2000s had committed to and took the necessary actions to reach zero emissions.

But that was nothing compared to the immense gratitude I felt for the millions of activists who pushed governments to choose sustainability. Those unsung heroes saved my life.

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GROWING UP Marea Mammano It's hard to breathe, to write and feel.

My hopes are burning like a rainforest on fire for they think money is worth more than oxygen and giving up our lives is easier than giving up some dumb habits.

It's hard to breathe, to write and feel because I thought growing up was like blossoming.

It hurt already underground.

Growing up is spreading yourself through the concrete, but there are no roots to rely on.

Just a desperate longing for air and sunlight and freedom.

The soil never fed me and I keep on dreaming about growing flowers, and giving fruits.

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THE SEA LEVELS ARE RISING & SO ARE WE

by Georgia Kwaitkowski

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EIGHTEEN

by Raeanne Tieu As an eighteen-year-old girl, some people may think it is a little early for me to be thinking about having children. However, with the devastating crisis that is climate change, I have begun to question time and time again whether or not it is ethical to bear children in this day and age. As Britt Wray said, “any child born today will have to live in a world where hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, what we used to call natural disasters, have become commonplace.”

I don’t pretend to understand all the problems that will arise in the coming years as a cause of climate change, and I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of impact it will have on our world, but I have seen and heard enough for it to alter my mindset completely.

I want children. I want to be able to freely have a family of my own without feeling guilty for doing so. But when we have already destroyed so many beautiful parts of our home, I must consider the environment my children would grow up in. My aim here is not to discourage anyone from having a child; it is not my place to do so, and the decision to have a child is a deeply personal one. My goal in this reflection and art piece is to emphasize the severity of climate change and its consequences. It is heartbreaking for me to see that we are currently living in a world where there are 29

people who want to have children but are genuinely afraid to do so - movements such as BirthStrike are a testament to this fact.

So as a response to the people who wonder why I care so intensely about climate change and why I am so adamant about reducing my footprint, it is because this problem is not one that is far off into the future - it is one that is affecting every single person on the entire planet right now, whether they realize it or not.

WATER IS LIFE

by Emma Lim

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BACK IN MY DAY

by Bonita Shao Back in my day the sky was clear Blue heavens arced over, Layering this sphere Fluffy clouds above, floating around Now all this, are nowhere to be found A darkened world, a fuzzy haze The fiery wrought of a factory blaze The pollution has damaged our up above Torn apart, covered, all and of Back in my day the air was fresh Thin and light, a relaxing breath Now thick, now dense and full of fuel Each gasp; sharp, piercing, And harshly cruel Sites pumping out coal, With thick dark fumes All of which our lungs consume Damaging an organ we need to survive Killing it slowly, as we are alive Back in my day, wildlife was across And now slowly disappearing, a tragic loss So many species, so much variety All taken away by the demands of society Back in my day the waters shined Full of fish, we now can’t find It shimmered, gleamed in the sun We have done too much that can’t be undone Crystal clear streams, 31

Now littered and brown Luscious green forests all torn down Blue skies colored with streaks of smog But there is more behind this poem, This dialogue The “back in my days” will be coming soon If we keep pushing this planet to its ending doom It seems far in the future, but yet so close Everything worked for, will become disposed The flowing winds, the soaring trees The growing plants, the roaring seas Now a lifeless creature, a hollow core A rock in space and nothing more Soon we will lose the chance to save The home of us, falling in a grave All will be lost, and we’ll have to pay But that was all back in my day

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GREEN CIRCLE Christina McCarvell

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CARBON PRICING: A NECESSITY

by Sanam Sangha Where We Are Right Now We are in the midst of a climate crisis.

That much is undeniable. Therefore, as a country, we must put forth policies that help mitigate climate change. As Canadian citizens, we rely on our elected officials to implement these policies. One such example is carbon pricing in the form of a carbon tax. It has been noted by many that the backstop carbon price, at $20 per tonne of CO2 emitted in 2019 and scheduled to reach $50 in 2022, is simply not stringent enough to have the necessary impact.

Is Carbon Pricing Really Necessary?

Carbon pricing is a necessary measure that must be enacted in order to mitigate climate change. Any political party that claims to care about the climate crisis must have some sort of carbon pricing in their platform, there can be no exceptions. As the David Suzuki Foundation states, “a carbon price helps make polluting more expensive and solutions like clean energy and electric vehicles more affordable.” For example, putting a price on carbon pollution could be through a carbon tax. It would help speed the transition to cleaner energy solutions by creating an incentive across the economy to shift to lower-carbon activities and behaviour. The organizations and people that create the most carbon emissions would end up paying for the damage of their 34

pollution. Governments can then channel funds raised from pricing carbon pollution to provide better options for people to reduce their own carbon footprints. Even economists believe that carbon pricing is the most effective way to reduce the carbon pollution that comes from fossil fuel emissions. The bottom line is, it will help us move to solutions for climate change that are already at our disposal. These solutions include renewable energy, electric vehicles, and fast, reliable public transportation which will lead the way to a carbon-free future.

Are All Political Parties in Agreement?

Despite the clear need for carbon pricing, the Conservative Party of Canada continues to vehemently oppose the mere existence of any attempt to put a price on carbon. Their climate plan, if it can even be called that, contains no carbon taxes and essentially nothing that would cost anyone anything. The plan does not explain how Canada will meet its Paris targets or prepare for success in a world that is increasingly acting on climate change. Andrew Scheer’s opposition of a carbon tax simply does not jive with having any sort of substantial climate plan.

In fact, according to an op-ed written by environmental economist Andrew Leach, “The Scheer plan talks of technology, not taxes, as the solution to Canada's emissions challenges and, in so doing, creates a false dichotomy.” To put it simply, Scheer’s long35

awaited climate plan is nothing of the sort.

Without including carbon pricing, a climate plan is simply not tangible in any way.

What Next?

With the federal election just around the corner, we must take a critical look at all party platforms, including climate plans.

It is vitally important that these plans are examined and that misleading plans are identified. With the knowledge that carbon emissions are the driving force behind climate change, it is evident that they must be taxed. In the words of the David Suzuki Foundation, “restricting the pollution that causes climate change makes sense.” We must vote accordingly.

12 YEARS LEFT

by Lucy Everett

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CRYING WOLF

by Genevieve Langille Nightly news is tiring and siding, politics can be trying and dividing, but we cannot ignore what will result from our submission to the strategic mission of corporate fruition to make you forget what will soon knock at our door.

Climate change is not fake, make no mistake.

The climate has changed many times before, but anthropogenic climate change will make the waves roar with floods from the seas, biodiversity loss will equate to disease, species will be wiped out without a doubt, coral reefs will not exist, that is just one of the endangered on the list.

People too, you, me, us, them.

We will die without saying goodbye.

Animals and plants lost at what cost?

Species of trees will no longer tower and plants will no longer flower, And so how do we start the resistance to stop corporations from allowing this to persist?

Not with a fist but with peace and protest.

Protest is not a swear word and even if it is, we have been screaming it for hundreds of years.

I will not let them die without you hearing my cry.

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This is a genocide I will not stand by.

We must reach consensus that our differences are not inherent but virtually transparent.

We must cooperate to save our fate by reducing greenhouse gases in the air, by showing that we care.

We must not let our knot be tied, we all must try.

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OCEAN CHILD

by Jasmine Rodman

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THE WORLD IS A FAIRY TALE

by Grace Kim She opens her eyes. The early morning sun turning her cottage ceiling into a light mahogany. Sitting up, she zips through her morning routine, flying out the door without a second thought. Running into the forest, she leaps down a memorized path, each step full of eagerness and anticipation. She bursts through the rows of trees and shuts her eyes to the searing glare of the sun.

The crisp, clear, good-morning melody of the woodland fills the clearing. The girl gazes up at the sky, watching as the leaves sway in the sun. Tugging at her hair are a pair of little hands, the fairies of the woods.

Tiny creatures, full of mischief and joy.

“Come, let’s play,” they whisper, and so the girl does.

Years pass the same way. The girl is not quite a child anymore, but she still goes to see her fabled friends. One morning, they tell her of a flame burning the forests. A flame slowly, but surely devouring the land of this world.

“Please. Help us. Save us.” The fairies beg and wail. So, the girl goes. She follows the path that the fairies tell her to take.

Her desire to protect her forest home becomes the fuel that keeps her legs moving through the unfamiliar terrain. She rests 40

at inns along the way, and it is there she meets her comrades. Just like the fairies told her, she meets three others: a wise dwarf, fighting to protect his ores of gold, a fiery elf, working to preserve her sprawling woodlands, and a generous mage, who comes prepared to fight for his family.

Together, they set out to stop the world from burning.

Their quest takes them to see all the wonders of their world. Into mountains white as snow, with jewels that burst at a single touch, to ink dark forests, illuminated only by glimmering fungi. The little party sleeps in trees that reach the clouds, with entire cities inside. They walk, marvelling in the glory of their world. But, the wonder in their eyes shifts into stony determination with the realization that everything may turn to ashes.

It’s as they get closer to their destination that they begin to see sparks. Bright orange hues taking over the calming green that the forests used to be. But that’s not the worst.

The sight that strikes horror into their hearts is the people. It’s the hollow, haggard faces driven by fear, shamelessly slaughtering and stealing that makes the small party turn their faces away with disgust. The girl wonders if the world deserves to burn. Eventually, the little party defeats the demon of flame.

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After saying goodbye, her comrades leave for home, each with haunted eyes, but relieved hearts. The girl rushes back, awaiting the familiar green, blue, purple, and pink shades of the flower beds. She yearns to hear the tinkling laughter of her fairy friends. Sprinting down the path she had travelled so many times in her childhood, she enters the clearing, her heart full of anticipation. Her eyes widen.

Angry red crawls over the green present in her memories. The girl stands frozen, a spectator to the blazing flames consuming her home. Why? She wonders. Why? She falls to her knees in the snowstorm of smouldering embers. They had done it all. Travelled to the ends of the land. Fought off the beast of fire.

Frustration wraps its slender fingers around her neck, as rage bubbles in her chest. She screams. Something shatters in her chest and a tear drips down her face.

Never again will she run down to her little clearing. Never again will she hear her morning melody again. Never again will she chase her little fairy friends around the trees. She closes her eyes.

The world isn’t a fairy tale.

But we still have time.

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CLIMATE RAGE

by Scotty Lando

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A MATTER OF INTERSECTIONALITY

by Michelle Xie The climate crisis concerns so much more than just the environment. It is a matter of human rights and social justice that intersects with education, migrant justice, Indigenous rights, capitalism, and gender inequity — among many other things that would be impossible to squeeze into this short exposition.

For one, Indigenous peoples across the world are and will be among those who are most greatly impacted by the climate crisis. In Vancouver, sustained action has been taken towards protecting Howe Sound, the Burrard Inlet and Burnaby Mountain, long before students started striking in 2018. Here, ecosystems are already grappling with rapid habitat loss, while tank farms and pipeline projects occupy sacred Indigenous lands.

The MMIWG (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls) national inquiry reports that resource development projects such as the construction of pipelines directly correlate to an increase in sexual violence and trafficking of Indigenous women. The existence of man camps, typically set up in isolated areas as temporary housing for male labourers, are one such example. Cases like these have been documented all across North America, making it an epidemic the MMIWG inquiry labels a “state-induced genocide.”

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Our approach to climate activism cannot take shape without efforts of decolonization. It is essential that we begin by building an understanding of the unjust treatment and socioeconomic inequity Indigenous peoples have faced in both past and present day.

Spaces must also be created where we stand behind Indigenous communities to show our solidarity and amplify their voices.

In addition to Indigenous rights, the climate crisis threatens water security.

There are currently around 790 million people in the world who lack access to clean water for sanitation and consumption. Of this vulnerable population, over half are children who must journey long distances to obtain water that is likely contaminated.

Such circumstances can lead to high risks of waterborne diseases that can be fatal if left untreated.

The UN’s Human Development Report found that women and girls were tasked with the responsibility of collecting water in 80% of households in developing nations. This is partially due to the roles in which each family member takes on. Men typically go out to work, while sons attend school - provided there is one nearby and the family can afford it. Young girls, in particular, are commonly deprived of the childhood they deserve and denied the opportunity of education because they must spend hundreds of hours walking for water every year.

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The planet’s rapidly rising temperature is also causing a mass displacement of people.

Rising sea levels, catastrophic storms, severe droughts, and water scarcity are just some of the reasons behind the insufficient living conditions these individuals are facing. As an example, farmlands in India are drying up, making it next to impossible to grow crops. The consequence of such has been a loss of steady income sources and food supplies, which in turn causes an increase in poverty and malnutrition.

Research conducted by the European Union found that within the past few years, more people have been displaced by climaterelated events than those fleeing war and persecution. It was also discovered that rising global temperatures share a link to an influx in asylum applications. The World Bank predicts that there will be 143 million climate migrants by 2050. It is terrifying to think of the future these people will face, especially with the international rise of far-right politics, nationalism, and xenophobia.

Another aspect of the climate crisis that must be tackled is education. Knowledge gives us the power to create change and yet, school systems across the world have not been adequately teaching their students about the climate crisis. A survey conducted in 2016 by the National Centre for Science Education found that roughly 1 in 3 American 47

teachers spent less than two hours of instruction time talking about the climate crisis during the 2015-2016 school year.

In the rare cases where schools do teach climate education, it is often done so using a single lens of scientific understanding.

There is little to no acknowledgement of how humans are being impacted by the climate crisis and solutions are hardly ever touched upon. When the topic does arise, students are taught the bare minimum: greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and the warming of our planet. However, with all these enormous numbers, facts, and statistics, it can be so easy to feel detached from the words of a textbook. Watching films, researching the direct and indirect effects of the climate crisis, going on field trips to place like waste facility centres, and inviting guest speakers from marginalized communities to share their experiences and stories are all powerful examples of how climate education could be integrated into a better curriculum.

The climate crisis needs to be addressed as the multifaceted issue it is. You do not have to be an environmentalist to care about humanity or take action. Whether you are a lover of animals, feminist, humanitarian, or simply someone who is concerned about the future, we all must do our part in creating a better world.

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