The Environmental Crisis on Native American Lands

We are living through an unprecedented time for a multitude of reasons. Political and social issues often dominate the news cycle, while the gap of polarization only seems to widen. Among all of this very real friction lies an all encompassing, global threat:  climate change.

The world is seeing “natural” disasters of epic proportions. Floods in South Asia dismantled the lives of an estimated 40 million in Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Hurricane Harvey dropped 27 trillion gallons of water on Texas and Louisiana, and 4 million Floridians were left without power after Hurricane Irma. Hurricane Maria inflicted utter destruction on Puerto Rico, which the federal government is doing next to nothing to address. At the same time, right now, 5,000 acres of California are on fire.

At 3 Generations, we know these disasters are guided by the hand of climate change. That is why we stand firm against big oil, because the only chance we have at turning the environmental situation around is to force serious change at the level of government and industry. We are committed to continued solidarity with the Native Americans at Standing Rock who are still fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline in the courts. Trials are beginning for six native protesters who are facing federal charges and hundreds of other water protectors who are being prosecuted by the state.

Filming and highlighting these stories is vital to bringing awareness to critical state of our planet. Educational screenings of A Different American Dream are still available, but we are also proud to announce that the film can now be rented or purchased on Vimeo. This documentation of the state of Standing Rock before the evacuation of sacred camp sites gives remarkable insight into how the oil industry is wreaking havoc on both the environment and vulnerable populations. Follow the link below to view the film or contact us directly to organize a screening.

Links:

• Rent or purchase "A Different American Dream" on Vimeo

On June 14th, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe saw a significant victory in the ongoing battle against the oil industry. A federal judge ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers did not sufficiently examine the environmental impact of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The judge did not halt construction, but he is requiring a follow up report that fully recognizes the risks that the pipeline poses to its natural and human surroundings. It was hard not to feel defeated after the events that occurred earlier in the year with the evacuation of the last Water Protectors and Donald Trump’s order to go ahead with construction. This ruling proves that the fight is not over and that there are legal roadmaps to sustainable peace.

This victory comes as the effects of climate change are becoming impossibly difficult to ignore. This month, temperatures in Arizona got so high that dozens of flights from Phoenix were cancelled. Recycling bins were melting in the street and emergency rooms saw an increase in patients with heat-related sickness. The situation will only get worse, and it will get worse faster and in areas that otherwise have never had to deal with such drastic shifts in weather. The oil industry still illustrates again and again that it has no plan to change course.

We are fighting back. We are standing with the indigenous people who are on the frontlines. Our film, A Different American Dream, is still available for educational screenings to bring awareness to the devastation that big oil wreaks on the environment and vulnerable populations. We also continue to highlight native rights violations and promote awareness through video footage, archival, and research. We cannot stress enough the urgency of this issue, and we must all come together on behalf of our unbreachable common bond:  Earth.

Links:

• Visit our page on "A Different American Dream"