BLUFFTON — A large group of area residents became part of a bigger effort Saturday to focus on environmental issues.
Twenty-eight local residents from Lima, Findlay and Bluffton hired a charter bus to take them to Washington, D.C. Friday to protest against what they are calling “Trump’s anti-environmental policies” and signal the importance of climate change.
“I am coming to believe that climate change is the biggest issue we are facing right now as a country,” said Colleen Benelli-Reed, of Findlay, who made the trip. “We are not making good decisions are making good policy to fix it.”
Trump’s presidency has reached its first 100 days, but not everyone is happy with the job he is doing, according to the contingent. The People’s Climate March on Saturday brought together tens of thousands of people, with support from over 300 sister marches at other locations in the U.S. and around the world.
“I am a grandmother, and I want Earth to be here for them and their grandchildren,” Benelli-Reed said.
The march began near the U.S. Capitol and proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue. At one point, activists sat down for 100 seconds to symbolize the first 100 days of the Trump administration. They then resumed their march to the Washington Monument.
Hollie Schmiedebusch, of Tiffin, was also at the event.
“I have always believed in not littering and respecting the Earth,” Schmiedebusch said. “We only have one, and we have to take care of it.”
The Peoples Climate Movement is a broad-based coalition of environmental, immigrant, youth, indigenous, Latino, racial justice, economic justice and faith-based groups and labor unions demanding an economy and a government that works for working people and the planet.
“On the 100th day of the Trump administration, we are going to show our opposition to the continued attacks on our health, our jobs, our families and our environment by the President and this Congress,” said Paul Getsos, national coordinator for the Peoples Climate Movement.
Pat Watkins, of Van Buren, said she felt the march will have its desired effect.
“We had a lot of people here, and it was peaceful,” Watkins said. “The administration right now is not favorable to climate issues. We cannot take funding from the Environmental Protection Agency and national parks.”
Marchers said it was hot, with temperatures in the low 90s most of the day.
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