Hundreds turn out for local climate march
(Photo by MARY MALONE) A few hundred locals joined the national movement of the People's Climate March Saturday, marching from Farmins Park, through downtown Sandpoint to Community Hall where activities and information tables were set up.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Creativity was abundant Saturday during the People's Climate March in Sandpoint as hundreds of people held up homemade signs as they marched from Farmin Park to Sandpoint Community Hall.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Community members of all ages joined the People's Climate March in Sandpoint Saturday, hosted by 350 Sandpoint and the Idaho Conservation League.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) A few hundred community members joined the People's Climate March Saturday, sponsored by 350 Sandpoint and Idaho Conservation League.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Much of the concern expressed during the People's Climate March Saturday surrounded keeping the Earth clean for future generations, so local teachers, pictured here at Farmin Park, joined the movement as they are the ones teaching those future generations.
SANDPOINT — When asked why they joined the People's Climate March Saturday, one common answer shouted out by community members was "for our children."
Mary Faux, one of the speakers who addressed the crowd before making their way through downtown, was also concerned about the future of the Earth for her six children and 40 grandchildren.
"I want them to be able to live in a clean environment, to have clean air, clean water, clean land, and a world at peace," Faux said.
Her sentiments were echoed by others, such as Brenda Hammond with the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force.
"We are here because we are passionate about protecting our Earth, our environment," Hammond said. "And sending a message to our community, our government, but in my heart, most of all, to our children — to let them know how important it is that we stand up and fight for our values."
More than 300 locals gathered at Farmin Park Saturday. They joined nearly 300,000 across the country who marched in support of the environment. After gathering and listening to a few speakers, the group grabbed their signs and made their way to Sand Creek at Gunnings Alley before moving on toward Sandpoint Community Hall.
Activities were set up at Community Hall, including coloring for kids and a tree with paper leaves area where people could write down their reason for marching. Tables were also set up where groups like 350 Sandpoint and Idaho Conservation League, both of which sponsored the event, had information available on social, economic and climate issues. Several other groups were involved as well, including Lake Pend Oreille Water Keepers, Sandpoint Indivisible, the Human Rights Task Force and more.
Rebecca Holland with 350 Sandpoint said Saturday's event was the second climate march nationally. The first one was in 2014, she said, when the United Nations came together to discuss climate issues. About 400,000 people in New York marched to say, "pay attention," and the following year, 195 countries signed a climate change agreement, Holland said.
"Now, with the current administration threatening to renege on the agreement, we the people are having people's march," Holland said. "Last week was the science march. There is a massive crowd that is showing up in Washington, D.C. today, to draw attention to what the administration is doing."
There were more than 200 sister marches across the country and across the world as well, she said.
The mantra for the climate march, nationally, is, "We resist. We build. We rise."
"We are going to rise up," Holland said. "This is for a sustainable planet for future generations."
Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.