2025 Events at the Earth Guardian Pavilion, Burning Man

Thursday – August 21, 2025

10:00 AM – Noon – LNT Outreach/ Resolution Team Training –  Since 2013, Earth Guardians have been doing LNT outreach checking for oil drips, grey water spills, black water spills and burn barrel problems. We are checking for permit violations and are sharing LNT tips to resolve issues. It’s a great opportunity to have ‘boots on the ground’ and share LNT love! This is our first training for our volunteers on the team, and a meal will be provided for the training.

Saturday – August 23, 2025

10:00 AM – Noon – LNT Outreach/ Resolution Team Training –  Since 2013, Earth Guardians have been doing LNT outreach, checking for oil drips, grey water spills, black water spills and burn barrel problems. We are both LNT advisors and ambassadors.  It’s a great opportunity to have ‘boots on the ground’ and share LNT love and we’re doing it again this year!  This is a training for our volunteers on the team, and a meal will be provided for the training.

Sunday – August 24, 2025

10:30 AM – 12:30 PM – Advanced LNT Outreach/Resolution Training – Advanced training for volunteers taking on the Team Lead Position. We’ll review team lead responsibilities, use of the Fulcrum tablet app and do some field testing to practice using the application before Monday’s shift.  This is a training for volunteers on the team.

3:00 PM– 4:00 PM – EG Manager’s Meeting

4:45 PM– 5:00 PM – All Camp Photo (EG Campers only) – meet at the front of the Earth Guardian Pavilion for a camp photo!

5:00 PM– 6:30 PM – All Hands on Deck Camp Meeting (EG Campers only) – All Earth Guardian campers are requested to attend this meeting to meet each other, go over the camp set up, coverage of camp shifts, and the event schedule for the week.

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Howdy Party (EG Campers only)– Bring your pot luck dish to share and get to know your fellow campers. Help feed the Aztec Burners after the ceremony to the temple.

Monday – August 25, 2025

9:00 AM – 9:30 PM – Morning Prayers with Aztec Burner – Introduction to Nichiren Buddhism with the recitation of the Lotus Sutra

9:00 PM – Earth Guardians Open Bar – Come try a “Gray Water” or “Black Water” or a Fairy Shrimp Cocktail!

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM – Blessing of the Temple – Join Earth Guardians and Aztec dancers on a procession to the temple to offer a blessing.

Tuesday – August 26, 2025

6:30 AM – 8:30 AM – Experience Deep Time on the Playa Bike Tour – This is your opportunity to contemplate Deep Time while on the playa. Your journey will be led by geology experts Drs. Elizabeth Miller (Stanford U) and John Dilles (Oregon SU). Bike to the outer playa to contemplate the history of this place we call home, from the deep time geologic framework to the ice ages, first human inhabitants in the region, post-glacial warming and inexorable warming of the Anthropocene era. Burn baby burn! P.S. Deep Time = Geologic Time.

9:30 PM– 10:30 PM – Coffee and Tea with the Bee (EG Campers only) – meet at Bee’s hive for lattes and chai!

10:00 PM – Noon – LNT Outreach /Resolution Team Training – Since 2013, Earth Guardians have been doing LNT outreach, checking for oil drips, grey water spills, black water spills and burn barrel problems. We were are both LNT advisors and ambassadors.  It’s a great opportunity to have ‘boots on the ground’ and share LNT love and we’re doing it again this year!  This is a training for our volunteers on the team, and a meal will be provided for the training.

11:00 PM- 2:00 PM – Alternative Energy Demo Garden – An assortment of alternative energy devices will be on display. Come discover solar-powered cookers, a solar charger; sample sun-baked treats! 

12:30 PM – 3:00 PM – Botanical Art – Practice traditional watercolor methods and experiment with color theory as you render a souvenir drawing of your experience at Burning Man.  Paint the mountains or nature specimens.  

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM -We’ve Sit Your Ass Down, Self-care Spa Break (EG Campers Only) – Have a facial and hand massage. Relax to flaky music and herbal scents. Please come with cleanish hands.

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM – An Introduction to Sustainability in Coffee – Dr. Taya Brown has studied smallholder coffee production systems for a decade, with a focus on the lived experience of coffee producers, field management for both economic and environmental outcomes in Central America, post-harvest processing, and ethical marketing/storytelling. Come learn about coffee as a plant, agricultural product, system, and supply chain; its significance in the rural communities of Guatemala, and how climate change is impacting the crop and the people who grow it. Also try some interesting coffees!

4:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Earth Guardians Open Bar –  Come try a “LNTini”,  “Playarita” or “Fairy Shrimp” cocktail!

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM – Playa Sunset Bike Tour –  Join our desert expert on a 5-mile journey exploring the subtle geomorphic wonders that form Black Rock City’s backdrop. See how our city and art affects the environment, and how Burning Man strives to Leave No Trace. 

6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Evening prayers with Aztec Burner, Xico – Intro to Nichiren Buddhism with the recitation of the Lotus Sutra.

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Sunset with Neko Volta – Neo Lo Fi Rock ‘n’ Roll songs steeped in the romance of the American night. 

Wednesday – August 27, 2025

6:00 AM – 9:00 AM – Playa Sunrise Bike Tour – The “golden hour” after dawn is prime for wildlife spotting. Tour the deep playa, find “Golden MOOP” at the trash fence. Cameras, and binoculars are welcome.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Geology of the Black Rock Desert – Ever wondered about those amazing land forms around Black Rock City? Come and learn how they were formed and what they’re about. Come and learn about the rocks from Cathy Busby, our expert geologist from U.C. Davis.

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Magic MOOP Mobile – Hitch a ride in style to the outer limits of BRC on the Earth Guardian Champagne MOOP Mobile. See what treasures you may find to put in your free hand made MOOP bag.

11:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Alternative Energy Demo Garden – An assortment of alternative energy devices will be on display. Come discover solar-powered cookers, a solar charger; sample sun-baked treats!

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM – Introduction to the Rights of Nature – Join an Aztec Burner for a critical conversation around the question: What if Nature had rights like people? This thought-provoking session explores the Rights of Nature movement—a global shift in environmental law and consciousness that recognizes rivers, forests, and ecosystems as living entities with legal standing. Rooted in Indigenous wisdom and ecological justice, this discussion invites Burners to re-imagine our relationship with the Earth in a time of climate urgency.

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM  – Living in the Anthropocene: What’s all this Plastic?!? Plastics: we love them and hate them. They provide hygienic food and medical supplies and state-of-the-art materials for homes, vehicles, recreation, fashion, art and convenience, but they come with a huge environmental price that we are only starting to pay. A brief introduction and history of plastics will be presented, followed by considerations of the health, environmental and societal issues related to current plastic use.   Get the real story on biosourced, compostable, and recyclable plastics, without the Greenwashing! Professor Rebecca Braslau, University of California Santa Cruz.

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Behind the Green Curtain Bike Tour – An interpretive bike tour of some of Black Rock City’s Green camps featuring solar installations, gray water set ups, recycling efforts, plastic-free living, solar cookers and much more. Come see what innovators are doing to make Black Rock City more environmentally friendly.

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM –Two Spirit Identity – “Two Spirit” is a term used by North American indigenous people to describe natives in their community who fulfill a traditional third-gender ceremonial and social role in their cultures. Their practices are centered on principles of nature ethics, environmental justice, and social constructions around gender identity and expression.

4:00 PM -9:00 PM– Earth Guardians Open Bar –  Come try a “LNTini”,  “Playarita” or “Fairy Shrimp” cocktail!

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Playa Sunset Bike Tour – Join our desert expert on a 5-mile journey exploring the subtle geomorphic wonders that form Black Rock City’s backdrop. See how our city and art affects the environment, and how Burning Man strives to Leave No Trace.

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM –  Sunset with Neko Volta – Neo Lo Fi Rock ‘n’ Roll songs steeped in the romance of the American night. 

 

DIY Thursday – August 28, 2025

6:30 AM – 8:30 AM Experience Deep Time on the Playa Bike Tour: This is your opportunity to contemplate Deep Time while on the playa. Your journey will be led by Chas Rogers, professor of Geology at Rogue Community College in Grants Pass, Oregon. Bike to the outer playa to contemplate the history of this place we call home, from the deep time geologic framework to the ice ages, first human inhabitants in the region, post-glacial warming and inexorable warming of the Anthropocene era. Burn baby burn! P.S. Deep Time = Geologic Time.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Fairy Shrimp & Other Black Rock Wildlife! – Learn how amazing fairy shrimp are at adapting and surviving in the Black Rock Desert and other extremely dry environments. You will also learn fun facts about other fascinating wildlife that live in the Black Rock Desert, such as amphibians, mammals, fish, insects, birds and more! With Ellen Brecke of BLM.

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM  – Magic Moop Mobile  – Hitch a ride in style to the trash fence at the outer limits of BRC on an Earth Guardian Magic Moop Mobile.  See what treasures you may find to put in your free hand-made MOOP bag. 

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Alternative Energy Demo Garden – An assortment of alternative energy devices will be on display. Come discover solar-powered cookers, a solar charger; sample sun-baked treats!

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM – Earth Law and the Rights of Nature – Join an Aztec Burner for a robust conversation on Earth Law and Earth Jurisprudence—a movement that challenges the human-centered worldview and calls for the legal recognition of Mother Earth’s inherent rights. Rooted in Indigenous knowledge and ecological balance, this session explores how honoring the Rights of Nature can guide us toward a more harmonious way of living within the greater Earth community, alongside all beings seen and unseen..  

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Protecting the Night Skies – Guardianship of the earth does not only apply to what is below us, but what is above. Human beings and all of earth’s beings are deeply connected to the nocturnal cycle and the night sky. Light pollution, satellite pollution, and an ever expanding conquest of the lands is erasing one of our greatest and most important natural resources. With Alysha Shugart

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM -We’ve Sit Your Ass Down, Self-care Spa Break (EG Campers Only) – Have a facial and hand massage. Relax to flaky music and herbal scents. Please come with cleanish hands.

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM –  Adventure Biking in Northern Nevada – After more than 10 years on Nevada’s backroads – where to go, how to travel, what can you expect. Kurstin Graham

4:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Earth Guardians Open Bar –  Come try a “LNTini”,  “Playarita” or “Fairy Shrimp” cocktail!

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM – Happy Hour with Friends of the Black Rock Desert.- Their 25th anniversary! All invited to meet and socialize with these stewards for our public lands.

5:00 PM – 7:30 PM – Playa Sunset Bike Tour – Join desert experts on a 5 mile journey exploring the subtle geomorphic wonders that form Black Rock City’s backdrop. See how our city and art effects the environment, and how Burning Man strives to Leave No Trace.

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Aztec Dance to Honor Mother Earth and the Four Directions –Aztec dancers with rare, traditional instrument accompanists will renew our connection to earth, wind, fire and water. Dances will be explained while connecting us to nature; we will end with a friendship community dance circle which all are encouraged to join.

9:00 PM – 1:00 AM – Latin Dance Party – Salsa, Reggaeton, Cumbia, Afro-influenced beats hosted by the Aztec Burners.

Science Friday On the Playa– August 29, 2025

6:30AM – 8:30 AM: Playa Sunrise Bike Tour – The “golden hour” after dawn is prime for wildlife spotting. Tour the deep playa with our naturalist guide. Bring your questions.  Cameras and binoculars are welcome.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Solar MOOP Art – Make a frameable, souvenir, take-home, cyanotype sunprint of playa MOOP you have collected. Come early & bring your MOOP! 

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Geology of the Black Rock Desert – Ever wondered about those amazing land forms around Black Rock City? Come and learn how they were formed and what they’re about. Come and learn about the rocks from Cathy Busby, our expert geologist from U.C. Davis.

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Magic Moop Mobile  – Hitch a ride in style to the trash fence at the outer limits of BRC on an Earth Guardian Magic Moop Mobile.  See what treasures you may find to put in your free hand made MOOP bag.

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Alternative Energy Demo Garden – An assortment of alternative energy devices will be on display. Come discover solar-powered cookers, a solar charger; sample sun-baked treats!

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Zero-Carbon Homes & ReWild Gardens – One third of climate change is caused by the places we live in, our homes, and 70% of the globe has been impacted by human activity. Want to save the planet? Make your housing zero carbon and rewild your garden to support native flora & fauna. This session will provide a practical guide for how to do this and includes lessons learned on the ground. With Chuck Piercey

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Geology of the Nevadaplano – The area surrounding BRC was a high plateau in the Cenozoic and probably had early mammals, birds, and forests in the canyons of active volcanoes and drying landscapes. See the petrified wood and fossilized leaf and seed pod evidence and do a deep dive into ancient geological history.

 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Behind the Green Curtain Bike Tour – An interpretive bike tour of some of Black Rock City’s Green camps featuring solar installations, grey water set ups, recycling efforts, plastic-free living, solar cookers and much more. Come see what innovators are doing to make Black Rock City more environmentally friendly. 

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM –  Snow Cone Saloon – Join Jai for a kid-sponsored bar serving brightly colored juice in various states of matter (liquid and frozen!). Come and share your LNT knowledge and tips for a sweet treat.

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM  – Lithium in Nevada: The geology, mining plans, and environmental and social impacts, of lithium extraction for the green energy transition. Nevada hosts two giant lithium deposits hosted in claystone sedimentary rocks associated with ancient volcanos, and these projects have received federal and private investment funds to assist their development. Additionally,  environmental, NGO, and Native American groups have resisted these plans. This talk will present a summary of the geology (which the presenter has studied) and mining plans, and lead to a discussion of the environmental/social issues. These issues for lithium are similar to many others regarding the green energy transition, in that there are potentially significant costs and challenges, and it will take great effort to reach the 2050 goal.

4:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Earth Guardians Open Bar –  Come try a “LNTini”,  “Playarita” or “Fairy Shrimp” cocktail!

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM  – Earth Guardian Pot Luck (EG Campers only) – Campers, come and share some food with your fellow campers at the Earth Guardian village.

Saturday- August 30, 2025

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM –  The Black Rock Desert: Our Inspiring Home! – Come learn about the vast Black Rock Desert and what makes it come alive. Learn about playa dust, wilderness areas, historic emigrant trails, wildlife, wild horses, & more. Come with questions! Presented by Friends of Black Rock-High Rock.

11:00 AM – 1:00 AM – Magic Moop Mobile  – Hitch a ride in style to the trash fence at the outer limits of BRC on an Earth Guardian Magic Moop Mobile.  See what treasures you may find to put in your free hand made MOOP bag.  

11:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Alternative Energy Demo Garden –

An assortment of alternative energy devices will be on display. Come discover solar-powered cookers, a solar charger; sample sun-baked treats!.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Grow Your Own Food and How to Get Started – Starting with compost, turn your dirt to soil, growing in containers and small places, on the cheap. With Tony Gonzales. 

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM  – Old Growth Forests & Climate Justice – We have a duty to respect our last remaining natural forests as living organisms that reduce climate impacts. See petrified wood fossil samples and learn why old growth forests are important in keeping earth’s climates stabilized and the atmosphere clean.  Hear about a proposed Bill of Rights for Old Growth Forests.  

3:00 PM –  8:00 PM – Earth Guardians Open Bar –  Come try a “LNTini”,  “Playarita” or “Fairy Shrimp” cocktail!

Sunday – August 31, 2025

6:00 AM – 9:00 AM – Coffee on the Man – As if last night wasn’t enough, the Man just keeps on giving. Kick-start your day with a hot hit of caffeine with Earth Guardians at our annual “Coffee on the Man” (or what’s left of him). There, on a pocket of hot coals, we brew up authentic Nevada Basque-style Cowboy Coffee in large enamelware pots. We have enough water for 15 gallons and serve it piping hot until it’s all gone. It’s plain old back Joe, although we will have powdered milk as creamer and Splenda for sweetener. Be sure to bring your favorite coffee cup. And maybe a camera for the sunrise, although your eyes will do just fine.

8:00 AM  – Take Down the Pavilion!  – (EG Campers only)- All hands on deck requested!

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – Earth Guardian Pot Luck (EG Campers only)- Campers, come and share some food with your fellow campers at the Earth Guardian village.  Bring what ever you have left to share!