Locals join countrywide rally against Trump’s climate change policies

Hundreds marched from San Lorenzo Park, across the pedestrian bridge and into the downtown, in the name of climate change.

“We feel that the administration is not looking at climate the way it needs to,” said Kristine Albrucht of Santa Cruz. “We have a lot of carbon in our air and we need to keep our water and our air clean.”

Protestors stood up against President Trump’s environmental policies. They said especially when it comes to protecting federal land and monuments, cuts to the EPA, and roll backs on restrictions on fossil fuel extractions.

“There needs to be a little bit of fossil fuel used to manufacture renewable energy sources, but that’s really all we can afford to do at this point,” said Pam Stearns with the Santa Cruz Climate Action Network.

Protestors also believe some of Trump’s policies pose tremendous threats to the Central Coast, world class marine resource and research facilities, along with the quality of the ocean in the bay could take a hit.

“In such a way that the tourism community and providers of services to tourists no longer have a clean, pristine bay to invite people to visit,” said Fred Keeley, former California State Assemblymember, District 27. “It is tremendously destructive.”

When asked about what activists thought about the presidents first 100 days in office, “I don’t think I agree with many of the things he’s done in the first 100 days,” said Riley Sprinseck of Santa Cruz. “I can’t think of one that I’d agree with.”

But Phyllis Taub Greenleaf said she can.

“He did make a good statement saying it is unacceptable behavior for people to attack the Jewish people,” said Greenleaf. “As a Jew I thought thank you Donald for doing one good thing.”

People also rallied for social and economic justice.