By JONATHON HOWARD
HUNDREDS of Noosa and Sunshine Coast residents took part in the Climate Change Relay on Sunday 21 September.
The global awareness initiative featured around the world with reports of almost 300,000 people walking in New York to raise awareness of global climate change.
The local walk was organised by the Sunshine Coast Environment Council whose members have serious concerns about the world’s rising temperatures.
“Climate change is real, climate change is happening now and climate change will impact on every facet of our community,” reads the Sunshine Coast Environment Council’s website.
The relay was held over 12 hours and covered 50 kilometres, starting at Sunshine Beach at sunrise and ended at Kings Beach at sunset.
The event was started by a traditional indigenous dance performed by Gubbi Gubbi elders – who are acknowledged as the traditional landowners of Noosa and surrounds.
Organiser and participant Allan Maclean said the turnout was amazing.
“It was great to see that so many people care about the future of our planet, for ourselves and future generations,” he said.
Organiser and participant Emma Menzies said the walk sent a clear message to the federal government.
“It is really important to tell the Australian Government that so many people are concerned and want action on climate change.
“We need to reduce our emissions and become a renewable-energy-powered clean tech economy,” she said.
Others used stronger language, including Raili Zielinski, who said non-believers needed to “wake up”.
“We all need to wake up to climate change and how we need to change our lives,” he said.
Read a letter from one climate change sceptic on this week’s Letters page.
