BILLINGS—On Sunday morning, a caravan of more than 60 cyclists took to the streets of Billings to pedal for a cleaner, more sustainable future. The fourth annual “Ride for Their Lives” event drew a diverse crowd of high school students and local advocates, all united by a common concern for the trajectory of the Earth’s climate and a desire to see tangible environmental change in their community.
The participants began their 20-mile round trip at Meadowlark Brewing on the city’s west end, cycling through the streets to the Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing downtown. The journey served as both a physical demonstration of alternative transportation and a call to action for local infrastructure reform.
At the midpoint of the ride, students from Billings Central Catholic High School and Billings West High School took the stage to voice their perspectives. For many of these young advocates, the motivation is deeply personal. Josh Strydom, a senior at Billings Central Catholic and a member of his school’s future healthcare professionals club, highlighted the long-term stakes of the climate crisis.
“Just what the future will look like for my own children one day—the world might look a lot different,” Strydom said. “I think protecting what we have and the resources that we have and the animals that we have is really important.”
The sentiment was echoed by others, including Candy Li, a student at Billings West High School, who noted, “I think we owe it to our planet to start giving back.”
The students’ urgency reflects broader global anxieties. Recent reports from the United Nations have warned that global temperatures are on track to rise approximately 3 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial averages. This data is not lost on local educators. Erin Hall, an environmental science teacher at Billings West High, observed that her students are increasingly anxious about climate trends.
“They’re concerned about biodiversity, they’re concerned about health, and they’re concerned about pollution issues,” Hall said.
Lori Byron, executive director of Montana Health and Climate, emphasized that this concern is part of a global youth movement. “Climate is the world’s group project,” Byron stated. She cited research indicating that a significant majority of young people—roughly 70 to 80%—express anxiety regarding climate change, with more than half expressing concern about the world their potential future children will inherit.
To address these fears locally, advocates are pushing for a transition away from car-dependent transportation. A primary focus for the ride was the expansion of biking and walking trails throughout Billings. Organizations like Billings TrailNet are currently working with the city to improve non-motorized infrastructure. Last year, the city approved the $5.5 million Stagecoach Trail, a project designed to connect the west end to the top of the rims. According to Kristy Halderman, executive director of Billings TrailNet, the project is slated for completion around 2028.
However, advocates stress that the current infrastructure remains insufficient. Halderman pointed out that many cyclists are forced onto sidewalks because they do not feel safe in traffic-heavy streets. Students involved in the ride agreed, citing the lack of protected bike lanes as a major deterrent to greener commuting.
“If there’s no bike lanes, it’s really dangerous to be biking out on the street,” Strydom said.
As the “Ride for Their Lives” concluded, the message from the participants remained clear: until the city invests more heavily in safe, accessible paths for non-motorized transport, the path toward a cleaner environment will remain an uphill climb for the next generation.
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