Grade 7 Students Talk Climate Change with Andrew Weaver

January 31, 2020

Academics

GNS

On January 27, Oak Bay-Gordon MLA Andrew Weaver headed to GNS to speak with Grade 6 and 7 students about climate change. Students gathered in Denford Hall as Weaver took the stage to answer questions and ask questions himself in the intimate atmosphere.

Weaver discussed climate change with the students and the local impact it can have, specifically in British Columbia. The presentation was a good way for the students to finish up the Grade 7 science unit on climate change.

“It’s nice to see other people in the world who have a big say and a big understanding are doing things, and it’s not just the children saying we want to change but it’s the adults accepting that change and taking action,” said Sophie ’25.

While Weaver talked a lot about climate change in British Columbia, Sophie said she enjoyed that he noted it’s a world issue.

“It’s not just affecting us here or people just on the other side of the world,” she said. “It’s everyone and even though everyone is like ‘It’s just a problem of tomorrow’ it will be a problem of tomorrow that we have to fix today so it can’t keep causing more damage to the world.”

Weaver read to the students a children’s book called The King, the Mice and the Cheese by Nancy and Eric Gurney. This book helped to put action on climate change in perspective with people having to fix the original problem and not put it off.

“He used the moral from the story, which was that you can’t just keep putting off climate change. I think that was impactful, and my favourite part,” said Daniel ’25.

Daniel said hearing these speakers is important because he and his peers will be the face of the future soon.

“It’s now up to us. We are going to be the people living in what’s going to happen,” he said. “Politicians and people have to try and empower the students, or the people that will be innovating to fix this.”

All of the Grade 7 students had prepared questions to ask Weaver during the presentation, and Sophie’s question was “How has perspective changed on climate change over the last decade?” Daniel asked about rising sea levels and “How it could impact coastal parts of British Columbia and Canada?”

The Grade 7 science students are beginning to write formal letters that they will send to a member of parliament discussing factors of climate change and they will include an action plan on how to help. Daniel will talk about how CO2 emissions impact rising waters, and what people can do to fix that in British Columbia. Sophie will write her letter about how wealthy countries can help developing countries with climate change.