#water is life

Sacred stones.

Sacred water.

Sacred plants.

[via Rabia’s Riff newsletter /  WakingUpTogether.org.]
“
We are now in the time we have been waiting for. 2016 will be remembered as the year Americans finally woke up to the imminent breakdown of our global ecosystem and the injustices inherent in corporate capitalism. We needed a shock to rouse us from the economic and technological slumber in which we have so comfortably taken refuge since the 1950’s.

In 2016 many events came together to provide that jolt to our collective system:
•  Political Corruption — the publication of Dark Money, Jane Mayer’s exposé of the ultra-conservative billionaires who bought out our political and judicial systems;
•  Corporate Fraud — the release of findings showing that ExxonMobil knew for more than 30 years that burning carbon was heating up the atmosphere with disastrous results, while continuing to fund climate deniers to deliberately confuse the American electorate;
•  Hate Mongering — the fact that sexism, harassment, racism and xenophobia have now become “politically correct”;
•  Citizen Activism — the Democracy Spring march on Washington, D.C., challenging Citizens United and big money in politics, and the powerful encampment at Standing Rock to halt the Dakota Access Pipeline; and
•  Political Discontent — the deeply polarizing presidential campaign and the surprise election of Donald Trump.

There is no doubt that the dissolution of the old order is now officially in progress, and things are only going to intensify. Because so much of our country still believes the misinformation spread by special interests, the environment and the economy may have to get much worse before the needed changes are put in place.  

SO… is there any good news?
There is a silver lining to this dark time: these crises are the very things that are triggering a major revolution, one that can lead us to a renewal of spiritual gratitude, ecological sustainability, social justice, and the understanding that self-interest is not the true goal of human life.   Beautiful, hopeful, inspiring messages are already beginning to surface. (Click here to watch “I Trust You” video).

As the breathtaking victory at Standing Rock demonstrated, people are waking up. That victory was made possible by hundreds of thousands of acts of solidarity. For some it meant traveling to North Dakota, facing night after night of cold weather and police brutality. For others it meant organizing solidarity marches and rallies, spreading the word, signing petitions, pulling money out of banks funding the pipeline, and having tough conversations at the office and at the dinner table.

Elias and I witnessed first-hand the resolve of those gathered at Standing Rock, and the new sense of community that took root there: a growing tribe of all ages
and backgrounds, unified in people’s willingness to stand up for justice, sacredness, and the health of the planet.

We all have been through dangerous times before; it is one of the ways we grow. If you have lived a vital life, you almost certainly have navigated many crises. In truth, real breakthroughs usually only come out of crises. And while being in the middle of a crisis can feel chaotic and scary, a crisis is what we want. Let’s welcome it!

As Clarissa Pinkola Estes reminds us, “We were made for these times.” Literally.  Our DNA has evolved over a million years by turning dangers into opportunities. If you (and your ancestors) weren’t skilled in this particular wizardry, you wouldn’t be here now.

So this is the first silver lining: we have what it takes.
At this very moment many writers, spokespeople, activists and leaders in various fields are writing inspiring essays and speaking up to remind us of this truth. We need to support these women and men. We need to shift our attention away from the “pundits” and media dogs who are paid to muddy the waters and distract us, who erode our self-esteem, who make us think we are helpless and isolated — and who convince us that we will only feel safe and whole and happy if we buy new and better “stuff.” We need to turn our attention instead to the women and men who focus on the true and the heartfelt, who are telling the new story about empathy, cooperation, justice, and community.

The second light in the sky is that we know what to do.
Or at least where to begin. We do not lack for well-thought-out scenarios for the sustainability revolution that has to happen. Some of these ideas are already being adopted at the local level. Forward-thinking governors, mayors, and NGO leaders are linking cities and regions together to reduce energy consumption in order to adapt to unavoidable climate change. Many other plausible next steps can be found in the margins, in organizations and practices we call alternative, regenerative, and holistic.

Of course the road ahead will be filled with uncertainty; the challenges we face are many and complex. It will take time to work out exactly how we are going to share resources, devise necessary restraints, design neighborhoods, manage transportation, and address infrastructure needs — not to mention restoring health to the natural systems we have destroyed. However…

The third shining light is that we’re not in this alone.
As the victory at Standing Rock demonstrates, the number of Americans who are already galvanizing is sizable, and growing daily. Fortunately, there are already many networks in place ready to work together and take action. We will need to rely more and more on these networks as a source of news and information, because much of the revolution will be hidden from us. The major news outlets only began covering Standing Rock when the number of people camped there passed the 5,000 mark — in other words, when not covering that story became an embarrassment.

I’ve done my share of activism, but the events of this last year — and especially of this last election — have inspired me to get involved at a level I’ve never before engaged in. It is a scary time, but it is also an exciting time. My hope is that you, too, will answer the call in whatever ways feel most meaningful to you. Alone we can do very little; but together, we can change the world.
“
— Elizabeth Rabia Roberts
http://wakinguptogether.org/

Nestlé is a monster selling things no one needs, & that isn’t theirs to sell. [ 12345]

Its ironic and cruel to knowingly put something in a child’s hands which took the labor of other children to make.

WHAT HAPPENED:

This is not surprising as Trump holds stock in Energy Transfer Partners, the same company that is building the Dakota Access Pipeline according to Fortune. 

WHAT THIS MEANS:

• The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s water supply may be heavily compromised if the pipeline would ever leak. 
  

As environmentalist Bill McKibben noted in the New Yorker, the pipeline was originally slated to cross the Missouri River not far from North Dakota’s capital city of Bismarck, but the route was changed partly due to concerns about the potential contamination of the capitol’s drinking water in the event of a leak or spill. The pipeline is now set to run half a mile from the Sioux reservation near its water supply, Lake Oahe. (x)

• The construction of the pipeline is expected to disrupt the tribe’s sacred burial grounds and other historically significant sites.
  
• In a broader perspective, the environment would suffer extreme consequences as it will fuel climate change. 
  

Not only is it infringing on Native American rights but this pipeline will quicken the demise of Planet Earth. This is bigger than politics.

#WaterIsLife #NoDAPL

trissghost:

This may sound strange on the surface but I’m PROUD of Shailene Woodley for her arrest. Civil disobedience and peaceful protest are things that MLK and Gandhi were praised for. Shailene doesn’t give a shit that she’s supposed to present a pleasant public personality. She sees the injustice in our government’s treatment of Native Americans and is using her celebrity platform to make sure the entire world sees it too.

#IStandWithStandingRock

spring-heavenly:

Just wanted to make it aware, for those who don’t know, that Shailene Woodley was arrested a few hours ago for joining a peaceful protest against the Dakota Access Pipelines. She was arrested for being vocal about this problem; for protecting Mother Earth. She was arrested for Live streaming this incindent on Facebook, making millions of people aware. She is standing up with Native Americans, she was standing up for earth. Water is sacred. Water is life. Water is important. You can’t drink oil or money. I want to thank her for standing up and helping this movement and making it more than just a protest.

Flooded

I ramble a bit about this piece on my insta.

A personal water intake goal is to drink 100+ fl oz. a day. It’s a challenge some days but having this amazing water bottle by my side helps me so much! 32 oz down in a heart beat! What helps you drink more water?!

muffinlevelchicanery:

Hawaii News Now - May 13, 2022

Six months after the Navy’s tainted water crisis went public, the state has released new maps showing the underground movement of the contamination.

For the first time, the public is seeing Department of Health maps of the plume of petroleum contamination based on Navy data. It shows the plume before last year’s fuel spills, during the height of the last year’s spill and what it looks like today.

“I was shocked, speechless just to see the extent of the contamination and how severe it was was really quite startling,” said Marti Townsend, former director of the Sierra Club of Hawaii.

“The contamination in the water supply existed before November 2021, it endures now and while the intensity has decreased, it’s clear that the plume is spreading towards the west,” she added.

During a Fuel Tank Advisory Committee convened by the state Department of Health, Board of Water Supply Manager and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau said he found the maps “disturbing and concerning.”

“Generally, what I see from those is that there appears to be a westerly movement of the contaminant plume looking like it’s going to move across Halawa Valley Road, is that correct,” asked Lau.

“The data as mapped certainly indicates, especially monitoring well 12, the one outside of Red Hill Navy property, is essentially our sentinel well now and it has shown the effects that you were saying,” said Fenix Grange, who is with the Health Department’s Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response.

The agency says the plume at the moment seems to be stable and contracting. The polluted area is no longer feeding any water system. The Navy says after flushing and filtering, it’s water is safe to drink.

“As part of 1,600 samples that we’ve taken a part of the water distribution system, none of them have had indications of JP-5 contamination within the water,” said Capt. James “Gordie” Meyer, commanding officer of NAVFAC Hawaii.

Many in the community are still upset.

“The military poisoned our water, poisoned our children and then lied about it,” said one woman, who testified at the public meeting.

There’s also frustration that the Navy refuses to release its initial internal investigation.

“I want the report from January since that one’s already been written and I don’t really care that it’s only preliminary,” said Dr. Melanie Lau, member of the Hawaii Water Advisory Committee.

The Navy had no timeline for when it will drain the fuel and shut down the Red Hill tanks.

“I don’t expect them to be measured in multiple or several years for each of those steps, but I can’t commit to a timeline now,” said Meyer.