Powershift09 Rally- Lee Sprague, MI Sierra Club

Powershift09 Rally October 11, 2009; Green jobs, The future of MI and who the future belongs to. Environmental Justice is essential to a just energy future, a sustainable economic future for the Great Lakes with 20% of the worlds fresh water!

Burning coal in MI adds Carbon Dioxide (CO2), a major Green House Gasses (GHG) that impacts climate change in the Great Lakes, changing water levels, invasive plants and animals. Mercury (Hg), another toxin emitted by coal fired power plants has contaminated native and invasive fish species in all inland lakes in MI. The impacts of CO2 and Mercury affects indigenous peoples, our children and our women disproportionately to other people because of the multiple pathways that mercury has into our bodies because of our exposure to the environment, our own mother. The sustenance that the fish brings to us by the creator, can no longer be eaten in a sustainable fashion as our peoples have for centuries in MI. This is profound, the first generation in the history of our peoples where our chilidren and women can no longer eat the fish, a gift from the creator.

The Emerald Ash Borer, and invsive insect is killing Black Ash trees in MI. Anishanbek peoples, the indigenous peoples to MI have used the gifts of this tree for baskets and a variety of uses, sustainable uses. As the climate changes, the Emerald Ash Borer's range is moving north and destroying thousands of Black Ash Trees in MI. Zebra Mussels, the Goby, Salmon, have changed the Great Lakes in fundamental ways.

Phragmites, an invasive plant is becoming widespread and is threatening the ecological health of wetlands and the Great Lakes coastal shoreline. Invasive phragmites creates tall, dense stands which degrade wetlands and coastal areas by crowding out native plants and animals, blocking shoreline views, reducing access for swimming, fishing, and hunting and can create fire hazards from dry plant material.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Energy Action Coalition
• MSSC
• coal baron
• clean energy now
• powershift09

[RastaJuggalo87]

Hey Lee Sprague. People come first, the environment comes second.

[jwashley]

Hello Lee. Good job with this. Keep up the good work.

James Ashley (Jan's brother)