Nature's rights are human rights!

I haven’t yet had my fill of watermelon or ripe peaches. I have reached my limit on humidity, temperatures of more than 89℉, drought, and cloudy days. Sounds like we’re in a late August phase and matching mood. Tired of summer, not quite ready for autumn. The good news is we hadn’t retired to Maui or southern California or British Columbia. Meanwhile, the foot-dragging and minimal response to reducing greenhouse gas emissions continues. There are too many folks engage in magical thinking and that’s dangerous for the rest of us. There is an alternative to magical thinking.

Minnesota isn’t immune from wildfires

Photo by J. Harrington

Earlier today I was pondering which might be a better approach: advocating for the adoption of a green amendment to Minnesota’s constitution, along the lines being followed by members of the NCEL, or advocating for the legal establishment of nature’s rights and personhood. It didn’t take too long for me to realize that the question isn’t an either / or choice, it’s a both / and effort. States, including nation states, that wish to demonstrate environmental leadership need to incorporate into their Bill of Rights language that guarantees a healthy environment. They also need to establish legal personhood for their ecosystems. There are no markets on a dead planet. Our entire gross domestic product can’t be “health care.” We’re better off making our environment healthy than repairing all the damage an unhealthy environment does to our bodies, minds and souls.

At a local level, and a more immediate time frame, you might want to consider adding your voice in favor of the removal of both dams on the Kinnickinnic River in River Falls. The Kiap-Tu-Wish chapter of Trout Unlimited has on their web site a nice summary of the recent open house held by the Corps of Engineers and the city of River Falls. Take a look and share your thoughts. If you have questions, feel free to drop them in the comments and I’ll do my best to post an answer.

Remember, all of this is done--

For the Children

The rising hills, the slopes,
of statistics
lie before us.
the steep climb
of everything, going up,
up, as we all
go down.

In the next century
or the one beyond that,
they say,
are valleys, pastures,
we can meet there in peace
if we make it.

To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:

stay together
learn the flowers
go light

Gary Snyder
From: Turtle Island

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