 A Vanishing Point Demonstration The vision for this climate action is to have regional activists, local residents, and students from the immediate area demonstrating - with climate signs in hand - from the sidewalks along Yonge Street... from one city limit to the other. If all goes as planned, this could be the longest demonstration in Canada on the September 8th Day of Action.  The demonstration route would span 5.3 km from the northern town limit to the southern town limit. The route is divided into ten sections, with five sections on each side of Yonge Street.  Newmarket northern town limit, at Yonge Street and Aspenwood Drive.  Newmarket southern town limit on Yonge Street, just north of St. John's Sideroad. (We ask that participants demonstrate only from the sidewalks, and avoid demonstrating from the shoulder of the road.) While it would be wonderful to have thousands of demonstrators out, we can realistically hope for perhaps a few hundred people. Ergo, we won't likely have demonstrators standing shoulder to shoulder, so to speak. Rather, we hope to have demonstrators standing just close enough so that each demonstrator would be in plain view of the demonstrators on each side of them. The route is just over 5 km long. Thus, if we have 25 demonstrators, then we would have a demonstrator positioned on the sidewalk along Yonge Street approximately every 200 metres. 50 demonstrators would give us a demonstrator every 100 metres, and 100 demonstrators would give us a demonstrator on each side of the street, every 100 metres, and so on. Of course, if we stagger our placements along each side of the road, then 100 demonstrators could provide a demonstrator every 50 metres. If you would like to participate in this climate action, feel free to sign up using the Newmarket Day of Action Sign-up form. Where to go? You are welcome to just take your position at your designated spot on Yonge Street as of 12:00 PM. However, if you would like to touch base with the organizers and other participants before the demonstration, we will be available at the Quaker Meeting House property before the event (around 11:00 AM) and after the event (just after 2:00 PM). The Quaker Meeting House is located at a lovely but inconspicuous spot right in the centre of town. The address is 17030 Yonge Street. There is parking available here for anyone who might be driving from out of town. Concluding the Demonstration For those who are demonstrating within walking distance of these grounds, we will form a climate march after the demonstration as we walk back to the Quaker Meeting Hall at 2:00 PM. We will then meet there to share some thoughts on how the action went, and to discuss next steps for future climate action. Got questions? We've got answers! Email the organizers with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. Getting Ready to Demonstrate for Climate Step 1: Make your sign The first step in any demonstration is making your sign. It's always a good idea to use something that you might have around the house already, like an old cardboard box. Otherwise, dollar stores sell foam core material that is light, yet sturdy enough to hold their shape in the wind. If you take good care of your sign, it should be able to last for years and be used in dozens of demonstrations.  You can choose to attach your sign to a handle, or not. Greta Thunberg's iconic demonstration sign has been used in hundreds of demonstrations throughout dozens of countries. It even traveled with her across the Atlantic ocean! Where will your sign go? Step 2: Tell your friends! It's always a little safer - and a lot more fun - to demonstrate with friends. So go ahead and spread the word, and see if you can get a group of friends to join you for this climate demonstration. You can even share or post the Newmarket Day of Action e-flyer and poster. (See the promotional file attached below.) Steps 3: Share details of the upcoming action on social media. Social media is a powerful way to inform other interested individuals about climate actions. The more people who get involved in a climate action, the louder and clearer the message becomes. Sadly, if only a few people show up to an action, then we essentially communicate the opposite message from the one we intended. Effectively, we say, well... it looks like nobody really cares about the climate, or the future of life on Earth... so just keep doing whatever you've been doing. However, if hundreds or thousands of demonstrators raise the alarm, then that helps to inform others about the seriousness of climate change, and it helps to pressure government to take meaningful action on climate. Step 4: Learn about climate change. Climate change is real. It's here. It's bad, and it's only going to get worse... but we can still make an incredible difference to the future of this planet, and all the things that live on it, if we take immediate and bold action. There's a lot at stake, and your effectiveness as a climate activist is greatly amplified if you learn about what's happening to the Earth's climate, why it's happening, and what can be done about it. 350.org has a plethora of climate resources to help people learn about climate change, so that individuals can not only come to understand the seriousness of the situation, but also help to convey the urgency of the climate crisis to others. There are of course countless sources of information, but another resource that makes climate change easier to understand is Dr. Katharine Hayhoe's Global Weirding video series. Steps 5: Capture and share the action on social media. On the day of the strike, be sure to capture images and video of the strike, and use these images and video as you share your thoughts about the importance of climate action with your followers. Be sure to tag politicians, as well as anyone who hopes to become an elected official - in any political party and at any level of government - within your social media posts. Promotional Material Below you will find two downloadable PDF files. If you live in the northern part of the GTA, and you’re looking for a quick way to take action on #ClimateChange, you could make a huge impact by just sharing, printing, and posting these promotional materials. Poster / e-flyer: This is a full-colour, 11" x 17" document that can serve as both an e-flyer and a printed poster. The hyperlinks on the PDF flyer are live and clickable, and the QR code works in both digital and printed formats. Our hope is that this document will serve both as an e-flyer that can be shared by email, and as a poster that can be printed and displayed in public spaces. Door / Windshield Flyer: This is a full-colour, 8.5" x 11" document that contains three smaller flyers that are perfect for placing into the doors of apartments or homes, or under the windshield wipers of cars. Please feel free to download and use these document to spread the word about this important climate action. Press Release: The press release below can be distributed to any reporters or media outlets. Current Media Coverage:
Newmarket Day of Action in the Media
The Newmarket Day of Action is wrapped. It was quite successful: the weather was great, we had a fine turnout of residents, students, activists, and event a few politicians. Thanks so much to everyone who came out to support this tremendously important action. Here are a number of news stories covering the Newmarket Day of Action:
Finally, here's a fun little video capturing some of the action from the day. |
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