The Millennial Files

Achieving a Sustainable Future: An Option for Becoming Carbon Neutral and Sustaining Native American Communities

Recently there has been a flurry of doom-and-gloom, I-have-seen-the-future-and-it’s-awful reports on global warming. From the recent United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report , which includes a projection the Southwestern US may be at the beginning of a repeat of the “Dust Bowl” days of the Depression, to “Tipping Point” discussions becoming more commonplace among veteran environmentalists, it’s hard not to just throw our hands up and prepare to bake.

Being the perennial Polyanna “I still believe” all is not lost — we may be already condemned to losing something, maybe even a lot, but it is not a foregone conclusion we will lose it all — especially if we take mitigating action. Imagine my delightful surprise when I received an email from the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), asking my opinion of which “green energy” project to invest in. Upon investigation (click here to find out), I discovered PDA has decided while it may not be possible to function without some fossil-fuel energy use, it is possible to neutralize your contribution to gloabl warming and commensurate damage to the environment.

PDA is partnering with Nativeenergy.com as a resource for promoting renewable energy development and offset its own contribution to greenhouse gas production. The idea is pretty simple, and can be used by individuals as well. At NativeEnergy.com is a carbon calculator, which people can use to determine how much they contribute to the production of greenhouse gases. For example, even though I have cut my fossil fuel consumption considerably by replacing my 4-cylinder car with a Honda Civic Hybrid, replaced all my lightbulbs in my house with Compact Fluorescents, and participate in a Green-energy program with Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, I still produce some greenhouse gases in my everyday life. By going to NativeEnergy, I can determine how much I contribute to global warming, and offset that with monthly or yearly fee. That money would help pay for one of several renewable energy projects. My favorite of these is the Wanner Family Dairy Farm Methane project…You can guess what they do and with what.

That would create green energy for others to use, which would make it possible for them to less fossil fuel energy. Of course anyone could just contribute freely, but there is something to be said about taking responsibility for your own contribution to global warming, without preaching to others that they should do it also.  And it doesn’t hurt that most financial contributions would be tax deductible, and that NativeEnergy is majority-owned by the Intertribal Council On Utility Policy (COUP), a non-profit coalition of Native American tribes. 

By supporting Native Energy, we can help to heal our world and preserve Native American communities at the same time — not to mention feel good making a difference without proselytizing others by forwarding emails.