Seattle teen to testify before Congress, urging them to act on climate change

SEATTLE -- A Seattle high school student has become a climate crusader with a national following, and she’s getting ready to testify before Congress.

Jamie Margolin, 17, is a senior at Holy Names Academy in Seattle. She met with congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who co-sponsored the Green New Deal, Monday.

Margolin organized a climate rally in Washington D.C.

By age 15, she co-founded an international non-profit called Zero Hour that mobilizes young activists across the country and calls on lawmakers to act on climate change.

Margolin and others also sued the state of Washington and Gov. Jay Inslee over greenhouse gas emissions, and she'll share her message for lawmakers Wednesday.

"The way we are going to get Congress to act is to get consistent pressure, and making it clear to them that no one is going to vote for them unless they take action to save our planet,” Margolin said. "We need constant pressure, constant lobbying and voicing with our votes. This is zero hour to act on climate change.”

She's also encouraging everyone to get involved in a “Climate Strike” on Friday, September 20th.

It's when young people around the world are expected to strike from school to protest government and business inaction on climate change.