Utah climate change protesters demand action from Gov. Herbert
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kevin Leecaster with Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and other partners strike for climate action and in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development and for climate action during a rally on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners begin to gather on the steps of the Utah Capitol to rally in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development, on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A highway patrol K-9 bomb sniffing dog is walked throughout the crowd on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, as Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and others gather to rally for clean air and fight for comprehensive climate change solutions. The strike was also in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Andoni Telonidis of West High joins the protest for climate action as Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Lilly Moore, 3, joins other environmental activists at the Utah Capitol for a rally on climate action on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Blake Birrell, 6, joins the fight along with Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners as they strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to Utah’s final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019. The group then moved into the Capitol to deliver cards with climate solutions to the office of Gov. Gary Herbert.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Patricia Davidson sings a message to represent the elders and their support of youth striking for climate action as Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners gather in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, that then moved inside landing outside of Gov. Gary Herbert's office with loud chants.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, that moved into the rotunda and concluded outside of Gov. Gary Herberts office.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, that moved into the rotunda and concluded outside of Gov. Gary Herberts office.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Aurora Laird, center, joins Nina Serafin, center left, along with numerous other students as they chant "this is what democracy looks like!" as they gather outside the office of Gov. Gary Herbert on the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, in an effort to deliver over 4,000 written cards with the importance of protecting Utah lands and clean air solutions. Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to Utah’s final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Raquel Juarez, left, and Nina Serafin, are joined by numerous other students outside the office of Gov. Gary Herbert on the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, as they deliver over 4,000 written cards with the importance of protecting Utah lands and clean air solutions. Because of security reasons they were told they would have to mail the cards instead. Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Nina Serafin, left, and Raquel Juarez are joined by numerous other students outside the office of Gov. Gary Herbert on the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, as they deliver over 4,000 written cards with the importance of protecting Utah lands and clean air solutions. Because of security reasons they were told they would have to mail the cards instead. Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fridays For Future, Utah Youth Environmental Solutions, and partners strike in opposition to UtahÕs final oil and gas lease sale of 2019 that will auction off public lands and further fossil fuel development during a rally at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, that moved into the rotunda and concluded outside of Gov. Gary Herberts office.
Hundreds of students marched throughout the Utah Capitol on Friday, stopping outside the governor’s office and demanding that he address climate change.
“Today we strike because our representatives are failing us,” declared Tess Carson, a student at Park City High School. “They are allowing our public lands to be exploited and in the process denying us a future.”
More than 300 people took part in the rally — part of an international youth movement — according to a news release sent out by the groups that organized it. The Utah students focused on protecting public lands in the state from drilling. They carried signs that said, “There is no planet B," “Stand up to big oil," and “Eco not ego."
The demonstrators delivered nearly 4,000 letters to Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, explaining their views. At first, his office declined to open the doors — per protocol — but later let two student representatives inside.
The kids waiting outside wore face masks to protect against the inversion smog filling the Salt Lake Valley. And they filled multiple floors of the Capitol.
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