'This should be of concern for everyone'

BY ANYA TIKKA
MILFORD — Milford Borough’s streets were filled with visitors and residential shoppers last Saturday afternoon. Among them were climate marchers who joined in one of the ‘sister’ marches around the country and the world.
The march, organized by The Delaware Valley Democratic Club, took the form of manning busy intersections at Broad St., holding posters, rather than an actual march.
They started from Patisserie Fauchere and ended up the day by gathering at the Community House to plant flowers in honor of Arbor Day. The flowers supplied by Milford Garden Club’s Linda Pinto who was there to also help with the planting. A tree planting at the library was also on the schedule.
A larger climate march was held in Port Jervis, N.Y.
'Climate change is real, it's scientific'Many protesters said they received positive responses from passers-by, with cheers and thumbs-up, and encouragement for what they were doing.
“Our communities are against climate change that’s happening all around the world," explained Ed Gregert, who was with the Delaware Valley Democratic Club. "What’s happening today is to draw attention that climate change is real, that it’s scientific, and that human actions actually are making it worse, and all of us, particularly our government, have a responsibility to address climate change.”
A couple who said they were Trump supporters exchanged views with one of the protesters. They said they wanted to have clean water and environment, but added, “It’s the same under every administration,” in response to Adrienne Myerson explaining she was protesting for a clean environment and against the rollback of many laws protectig the environment.
“It doesn’t matter who’s in office,” the man contended.
“I’m a senior citizen. I have grandchildren. I want to make sure that their future is secure and not having to worry about having the air polluted and the earth decimated by rolling back regulations that have been in existence since the 1970s," Myerson said. "They were put there by a Republican president, so it really puzzles me why all of a sudden this has become a partisan issue which divides Democrats and Republicans. We have only one planet that we have to live on, and we have to share that planet. This should be of concern for everyone.”
Protecting water resourcesMany posters carried by the marchers expressed concern for clean water, a source of pride and a natural resource attracting many visitors to the Upper Delaware River Valley and Pike County. Some think the area's pure water could be at risk of contamination from fracking for natural gas upriver as environmental protection programs are being considered for cutbacks.
What are your thoughts about the climate march? Go to pikecountycourier.com and tell us.