"Thousands of Delegates Tackle Climate Change Issues at UN Forum on Indigenous Issues"

http://i2.democracynow.org/2008/4/24...climate_change

I met this woman when I traveled to Oklahoma last fall to support a friend of mine. She's a very dynamic speaker. When I hear what natives have to live with day to day, it makes my problems seem so minor. Every one of my native friends are dealing with numerous relatives suffering from cancer - all of them suffer the impacts of poverty and suicide. What gets me is it's never important enough to make the news.

I've always been amazed by our mass consumption of fossil fuels. It's not like the stuff grows back in a few years. I've also been amazed at how we take the earth and it's atmosphere for granted, as if it wouldn't matter if it were destroyed. Our "things" are more important. Sure, the earth might last forever, but it might not be able to sustain life. Seems like we can't see past our own noses and care nothing about future generations.

Most of my family lives in Oklahoma. My BIL is half Cherokee.

I live in Idaho where there are many as you put it "natives." Here the term is Native Americans, and, frankly I am not quite sure what climate change/environment has to do with Native Americans and cancer.

2 members of my family have died from cancer recently and 2 of my neighbors died from cancer. My best friend died from cancer and none of them were "native." They suffered just the same. I just found out today that a close friend of mine has terminal breast cancer and her only wish is to live long enough to see her son graduate from high school.

I am not quite getting your point...what does being a "native" have to do with climate change and the environment?

Never mind...I don't want to debate this with you...it's rather pointless.

I could be wrong but...(KathyM please correct me!)

I do not think the word "native" meant American Indian. I think it was in terms of having been born in a certain region. I consider myself a native of Phoenix but I am not a Hopi Indian, I am just a whitey.

I think the original post was about the thinning of the ozone layer which can lead to an increase of cancer.

It is just like MS and colder climates, the incidences of this terrible disease is more prevalent than in the warmer climates...I think that is one of the ideas out there for MS.

Also, the original post seemed to speak to wasteful consumption of a finite resource, oil.

NASCAR is huge out here. I cringe at the use of gasoline and the noise that those race cars must make on the tracks!

Here in AZ, we have an ABUNDANCE of sunshine yet solar panels for electricity has not been developed. I would love to see technology that would refrigerate my home now that the heat is on and I am melting!

Industrialized nations have always put profits first with out much regard to the effects on the planet. Money talks.

I totally agree - most of the new malls, industrial buildings, homes and apartments have all the roof tops free of large trees - why not add solar to them when they are built-- it could be such a savings.
Possibly then the panels and installation costs would come down so older places can be retrofitted for solar in a more economical way.

Fossil Fuel and The Enviroment

http://freehost16.websamba.com/pyram...sion%20map.jpg

http://freehost16.websamba.com/pyram...sil%20Fuel.htm

Av8rgirl

Sorry, I was referring to what she was saying about the protests surrounding the new hog farm in South Dakota and the runoff going directly into the drinking supply of those living on the reservations. It's bad enough they have high levels of uranium in their drinking water, coupled with poverty and third-world healthcare. Now they have to drink the runoff of a HOG FARM?

I was also referring to the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand being the only ones to vote against a U.N. declaration of human rights for indigenous people.

Ms. Camp is also involved with a group called the Society to Preserve Indigenous Rights & Indigenous Traditions (SPIRIT). The event I attended last year in OK had to do with racism, generational PTSD, and truth in education as it related to the OK Centienial Land Run celebration. Here's a clip of Ms. Camps speech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7lfKWGQ8fk

It may not be PC to call my Native American friends "native," but they know I'm their friend - I usually call them by name.

Here's a video (song) written by a Navajo group that describes the anger and despair on their lands. Warning: It's quite angry, but tensions always rise when this country goes to war. It's worse for natives because the government dips into their budget to cover costs. This group happens to care very much for their elders and future generations, so I can understand why they are angry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbrcTzawbec

Michael Rivero is on gcnlive.com now talking about indians

http://gcnlive.com/On_Demand.html

on bottom or click on left for uptodate stream or on bottom for reload all week

it will be there laterin the day