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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, D ec em be r 5, 20 19 | 18 Movers and Shakers Marketplace Your Best Choice For Bin Rentals 6 - 40 cu. yd, sizes available CARPET, HARDWOOD, RUGS & TILE The One Store For Your Perfect Floor 26 Guelph St., Downtown Georgetown www.carpetone.ca http://carpetonegeorgetown.goldbook.ca 905-877-9896 Floor and Home THREE EASY WAYSTO SHOP. WINDOWS & SIDING www.winside.ca 873-0841905 CHINMEYS Chimney Repairs/Rebuilds Tuckpointing Ken Lahey klahey@cogeco.ca 416-837-6866 Serving Georgetown for over 10 years KEN'S PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTORS CHIMNEYS Locally Owned & Operated Since 1982 ACTON 519.853.3332 GEORGETOWN 905.702.2339 info@wwminc.ca www.wwminc.ca BINS IDEAL FOR: • Renovations • Shingles • Dirt • House & Yard Clean-Up • Concrete • Asphalt • Driveway Friendly • Junk Removal DISPOSAL CONTAINER RENTALS FULL JUNK REMOVAL SERVICES waste disposal containers To advertise in this full colour directory delivered to every home in Halton Hills every Thursday, please call Kelli 905-234-1018 or email kkosonic@theifp.ca On a day where the tem- perature will not climb above zero, Spencer Lippa sits huddled in a chair on the boulevard next to Ethel Gardiner Public School. He wears a trapper hat, snow pants and a parka that make him look twice as big as he actually is, and thick gloves with hand warmers inside. He holds a sign that says "School Strike for Cli- mate" and some of the cars driving by on Danby Road honk as they pass. Occasionally, one or two students will sit with him for part or all of the day, but most days he sits alone for hours at a time. He's been doing this every Friday since the school year be- gan. Now with the temper- atures turning frigid, Lip- pa makes it clear that he's not just trying to get a day off school. "I do not find this very fun," the Grade 7 student says. "I'd much rather be in a warm school." So why does he do it? Lippa was already inter- ested in the effects of cli- mate change, having joined the Green party when he was 10. Inspired by Greta Thunberg, who staged a school strike protest out- side the Swedish legisla- ture in 2018, Lippa decided to stage a similar protest. He needed his parents to sign him out of school each Friday, and though he said it took a little more work to convince his dad, he said parents are both on board with the idea now. "I wanted to spread the message and take a stand," he said. "Nothing, not even my education, is as impor- tant as climate change." Ethel Gardiner Public School principal Debbie de Chastelain said Lippa's teachers have been helping with the classes he misses, just as they would for stu- dents who miss class be- cause of illness or to play sports. Last week a climate ral- ly was held to support Lip- pa in his efforts. Lippa was joined by students from his class and the school's Eco Team who were given per- mission to join in his pro- test. "We should not think of this as a strike, but as a learning field trip," said Jane Fogal, one of the orga- nizers of the rally. Members of community groups concerned about the environment also joined in to show their support. "I'm pretty upset with what's going on," said Lin- da Middaugh, a member of GASP (Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet). "We need to follow the lead of the youth in spreading the word." "It's important for us to all do our part," said Betty Cunningham. "There are so many small things we can do. We have to rethink how we do things. These kids deserve it." About 70 people took part in the rally. Among them was Grade 8 student Joanna Mazier, who has joined Lippa a couple of times on his Friday school strike. She said it was great to see the community show support for action on cli- mate change. However, she said it is even more impor- tant to get politicians to take action. "Not to sound harsh, but they're not going to be here," said Mazier. "They need to fix it while they can." That's Lippa's goal. Though he may not have as many supporters this Fri- day, he will continue his school strike. What would it take for his strike to be deemed suc- cessful? "Proof that our political leaders are listening," he says, "hearing us and mak- ing changes." STUDENT TAKES STAND FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE HERB GARBUTT hgarbutt@metroland.com COMMUNITY TWELVE-YEAR-OLD SPENCER LIPPA IS ENTERING THE THIRD MONTH OF HIS ONCE-A-WEEK SCHOOL STRIKE Spencer Lippa addresses those who gathered for a climate rally. The Grade 7 student at Ethel Gardiner Public School has been staging a school strike each Friday since the beginning of the school year in order to draw attention for the need to act on climate change. Herb Garbutt/Torstar