Climate fear

By Tania Martin
HILLS students last week held a torch for climate change.
They joined a national campaign to highlight the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The National Climate Torch Relay passed through Sassafras before heading to Healesville last Wednesday (3 September).
A parade that would rival any Olympic torch relay lined the streets of Sassafras as the solar powered torch was carried from Sherbrooke Community School to the town centre.
The nine-week relay, organised by Get Up, started last month and will travel across Australia on its way to Parliament House, Canberra on 12 October. Along the route local communities are hosting legs of the relay, which calls for politicians to halve greenhouse pollution by 2020.
The torch has been designed with alternative energy solutions in mind and features solar-power, a people powered hand crank, wind turbine and also draws power from a lemon-battery.
Jo Tenner of the Upper Yarra and Dandenongs Environment Council (UYDEC) said the campaign was a chance to show what climate change means to the local community. “People in the Dandenongs are very concerned about the impacts of climate change on both our wonderful local environment and globally,” she said.
“The community is willing to take the steps necessary to respond to the climate emergency but we need all levels of government to work with us.”
Once the torch arrived in the centre of Sassafras, the solar-powered torch was passed on to Shire of Yarra Ranges councillor Samantha Dunn.
Cr Dunn then passed on baton to a representative for the Healesville leg of the journey.
She said it was fantastic to see the community and the next generation getting involved in highlighting the importance of climate change.