Thousands in Seattle march for science
Thousands of people came to Seattle's Capitol Hill today to march in support of science and evidence-based policy. It's part of a nationwide movement with marches in more than 500 cities around the world.
The thousands made their way from Cal Anderson through downtown Seattle to the Seattle Center. March co-founder Miles Greb summed up his hopes for the event by saying, "We want to inspire optimism in science again and say that this powerful tool is yours to help illuminate and improve the world. That will take both the efforts of protecting the hard-earned knowledge science has given us and fostering a new generation of scientists and science enthusiasts."
The March for Science in Seattle included people in costumes, some with signs, and some with their little scientists or kids with them.
“We’re here for ourselves and for our children,” said march participant Chester Hoster.
The future includes proposed budget cuts to the EPA and medical research straight from the president.
“We are proposing a budget that will shrink the bloated federal bureaucracy and I mean bloated,” said President Donald Trump.
“I’m really concerned about some of the cuts proposed for science at a federal level of course. I feel like there are a lot of issues that we can’t solve with just private funding,” said Hoster.
“With the need for funding right now it just seems to make sense to be our here,” said march participant Audrey Mallinak.
“That doesn’t just affect our economy that affects what makes Seattle… Seattle. Our ecology and the orcas; these things need to be protected. They’re important to us,” said march organizer Miles Greb.
Protecting our orcas, keeping our waterways cleans, and researching for a cure are all things March for Science Seattle organizer Miles Greb says are under attack.
“When you put a climate change denier in front of the EPA, you’re going to get some kind of feedback,” said Greb.
He says the march is the feedback and it’s a strong sign that at least to the tens of thousands in Seattle, science and its funding matters.
“If we don’t support the scientists, I fear what’s going to happen to our climate? What’s going to happen to our medical advancement?” asked march participant Katie Zeleski.
“Science matters. Let’s protect it. Let’s celebrate it,” said Greb.
Q13 News also interviewed University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences Professor Cliff Mass who says instead of marching, scientists should engage with the community and teach people about science. He says republicans are not anti-science and fears the march is too political.