Earth Warriors held a much-anticipated Basin Park protest on Saturday, May 10, from 1– 3 p.m. as Reggae poured out of the speaker and the bullhorn was blaring.
“We’ve gathered today because what’s happening to our environment is not just alarming, it’s unacceptable and morally incorrect. Over the past few months, the current administration has issued multiple executive orders that have actively dismantled protections for forests, public lands, oceans and watersheds. These aren’t isolated policies. Together they represent a widespread assault on ecosystems we depend on to survive. Simply because corrupt, greedy politicians can’t make more money from a sustenant system that respects the Earth,” Amber Bee said.
“Let’s look at the facts. Over 280 million acres of forest, including old growth, have been opened to logging. Environmental reviews are being bypassed and protections for endangered species are being stripped away under the claim of forest health and economic growth. People are waking up to what is being taken from us. Our forests, our clean water, our future. More protests are coming, and we will keep showing up. We are Earth Warriors and we are here to protect what can’t be replaced,” she said.
Earth Warriors is an international climate change program designed to teach children complex topics in a non-scary way through songs and simple activities.
“All the donations that we raise at our protests go towards donating to organizations such as The Audubon Society. This will allow us to get more trees and disperse them to the people. This allows us to do what we can in the ways we can, for now,” Victoria Sadtler added.
Even though there was a double booking in Basin Park with Patti Steel scheduled to play music in the bandshell, Steel kept her band quiet until 2 on the dot, to not interfere with the musical expression of Earth Warriors. At 2 o’clock Earth Warriors Empowered turned their music off and listened to scheduled musician Patti Steel. Patti expressed gratitude to the group’s cause, saying, “I want clean water, too.” A representative for the city came out and apologized for the scheduling misunderstanding.
As Victoria and Amber pulled up to Basin Park, somebody was pulling off who had left her phone. Amber Bee chased the lady’s car down Spring Street on foot and returned the woman’s phone. The lady then donated $20 to the Earth Warriors.
Earth Warriors Empowered had a native tree and shrub giveaway, which they received during an event at the Eureka Springs Community Center where the suggested donation was $10.
Petitions could be signed by scanning QR codes to immediately send signatures to lawyers fighting environmental repeals in the courts. “We’re learning as we go, but we are learning,” Amber said.