Around 400 students and staff gathered at Augustana College for a climate strike on Friday in solidarity with climate strikes going on worldwide.
Speakers, including student Hunter Ridley, called on the college to reduce its emissions and focus on sustainability.
"Following in the footsteps of many small, liberal arts institutions, we feel that as a first step, the Augustana community should prioritize and fully commit to employing a full-time sustainability coordinator and having a dedicated staff member."
She says that would be the most effective way to create immediate change on campus.
Another student, Robert Burke, says it's time for Augustana to take action.
"The Augustana way is to recognize when you're well passed the point where enough is enough. We know the large scale problems and we know exactly how to kick off a large scale, long-term, more active dialogue on the issues at hand."
Augustana President Steve Bahls has appointed members to an "Environmental Action Task Force" and it should begin meeting soon.
