Water as life—Protect our water commons

By Nancy Price, Earth Democracy

Native Americans and indigenous peoples worldwide know water sustains life and is sacred. Their relationship with the natural world is unique. The Standing Rock Lakota opposition to the DAPL is to protect the sacredness of our water commons for all people.

Here’s what we, you, all of us Water Protectors, who believe that water is life and water is sacred, must do now to save our water commons.

First

Join the Divestment movement to stop the big banks funding the Dakota Access (DAPL) pipeline—in particular Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, JP Morgan, US Bank, Comerica, and TD Bank. These and other banks also fund the KXL, which Trump has now approved, and the web of pipelines and associated infrastructure being constructed all across the country, which we must stop as well.

Food & Water Watch is a good resource on the banks. The website Fossil Free provides an excellent escalation guide to divestment.

This is an emergency. We are in a climate crisis. With President Trump accelerating fossil fuel extraction (much of it for export) and opening federal public land to fossil fuel exploration and development, now is the time to get your city council and county council to divest and to mobilize your state to divest its pension funds.

Second

Be sure to also “Break up with Your Mega-Bank.” Follow these 10 Steps. There’s no time like the present.

Third

The April 22 One WILPF Solidarity Events are on the same day as the March for Science in Washington, DC.

April 29 is the People’s Climate March in DC and across the county. Find a march near you.

• Use the banner you made for April 22, or make a new banner with “Climate Justice+Women+Peace” if you have time, and add the WILPF US logo and your branch name and website.
• Don’t forget to order your infographic cards now.
• Tear up old white sheets and make hatbands or sashes that say “Climate Justice+Women+Peace.” Get creative! Get out WILPF’s message on this.

Fourth

May 5-13 is Global Divestment Mobilisation around the world. Time to Divest from Fossil Fuels—Time to Move the Money. Learn more about this mobilization, find an event near your, or plan a divestment action in your town and put it on the 350.org map .

A final note: I urge you to read Rosalyn R. LaPier’s compelling essay Why Is Water Sacred to Native Americans? Rosalyn R. LaPier is a 2016-17 Women’s Studies in Religion Research Associate and Visiting Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies and Environmental Studies and Native American Religion at Harvard Divinity School.

Read also Rebecca Solnit’s essay, Call Climate Change What It Is: Violence. She writes: “Climate change is global-scale violence, against places and species as well as against human beings. Once we call it by name, we can start having a real conversation about our priorities and values. Because the revolt against brutality begins with a revolt against the language that hides that brutality.” Listen to a recent interview with Solnit on Democracy Now.