This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story.

Millions across the globe are walking out of their workplaces, schools, and homes for the Global Climate Strike to demand an end to fossil fuels tomorrow, Friday, September 20th. The Philadelphia event is being organized by the Youth Climate Lobby, PA Climate Strike, 350 Philly, and Sunrise Movement Philly, among other organizations.

Philadelphia’s march will begin at 11 AM on the north side of City Hall, marching through 15th Street to Locust, and then back up Broad Street to return to City Hall. At the conclusion of the march, speeches will be made from Councilwoman Helen Gym, young climate activists and more. Schedule of events is as follows:

Philadelphia’s Climate Strike Schedule:

• 11am to 12:30pm — Rally
• 12:30 to 1:30pm — March
• 1:30 to 2:00pm — Closing rally

The strike is meant to encourage a Green New Deal, which organizers want to see the following included:

1. 100% renewable energy by 2030
2. No new fossil fuel projects
3. A just transition to a renewable economy

According to WHYY, the School District of Philadelphia is not allowing public school students to join the march and will mark students as absent. On the other end of the spectrum, Swarthmore College professor Lee Smithey is encouraging his colleagues to join the strike, to cancel classes tomorrow to join the action.

How to Join the Global Climate Strike:

Join Philadelphia’s climate strike at Philadelphia City Hall, 1400 JFK Blvd, Philadelphia at 11 AM. For adults who want to join the rally, here are ways to support young strikers without stealing the spotlight.

Need a sign? The Academy of Natural Sciences is hosting a Climate Action Resource Day, tomorrow. From 8-10 AM, to create posters and meet with friends before heading to City Hall. From 3-5 PM, join to create postcards and explore ways to connect with local representatives and find resources for taking steps towards a healthier planet.

Follow the event on social media with #strikewithus.

Not located in Philly? Use the map on GlobalClimateStrike.net to find an event near you.

“I want you to listen to the scientists.”

Greta Thunberg

What else you may have missed leading up to the Strike…

The following excerpt originally appeared in Cheddar. It is republished here as part of Green Philly’s partnership with Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story.

On Wednesday, youth climate activists spoke on Capitol Hill and urged lawmakers to take more aggressive action on climate change. Their testimony comes just ahead of the Global Climate Strike, an international workplace climate walkout, and the United Nations Climate Summit in New York, where global leaders are expected to discuss their plans for combating the climate crisis.

The hearing was hosted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

“I don’t want you to listen to me. I want you to listen to the scientists. And I want you to unite behind science, and then I want you to take real action,” 16-year-old Greta Thunberg told Congress in her opening statement. Thunberg, a world-renowned climate activist, first gained notoriety when she began skipping school to protest at her native Sweden’s parliament. She traveled to the U.S. last month by solar-powered boat.

“To President Trump, climate science is real. It’s not a hoax. It’s accepted that humans are having a negative impact on our climate.”

– Benji Backer

She submitted the often-cited 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report on the impact of global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“To President Trump, climate science is real. It’s not a hoax. It’s accepted that humans are having a negative impact on our climate,” testified Benji Backer, a young conservative pushing Republicans to take climate change more seriously. “I urge you to accept climate change for the reality it is.”

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher