Navajos Hope to Shift From Coal to Wind and Sun

[ensho]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/science/earth/26navajo.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


For decades, coal has been an economic lifeline for the Navajos, even as mining and power plant emissions dulled the blue skies and sullied the waters of their sprawling reservation.

But today there are stirrings of rebellion. Seeking to reverse years of environmental degradation and return to their traditional values, many Navajos are calling for a future built instead on solar farms, ecotourism and microbusinesses.

-snip-

Mr. Tulley, who is running for vice president of the Navajo Nation in the Nov. 2 election, represents a growing movement among Navajos that embraces environmental healing and greater reliance on the sun and wind, abundant resources on a 17 million-acre reservation spanning Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

-snip-

With nearly 300,000 members, the Navajo Nation is the country’s largest tribe, according to Census Bureau estimates, and it has the biggest reservation. Coal mines and coal-fired power plants on the reservation and on lands shared with the Hopi provide about 1,500 jobs and more than a third of the tribe’s annual operating budget, the largest source of revenue after government grants and taxes.

-long snip-
-----------------------

more power to them - show us how its done

an aside: I listen to my music playlist while I do politics and as I prepared this thread the list played "War Cry" by Thunder Rock. how appropriate.

[niyad]

1. k and r--thank you for posting this

[ensho]

2. giving a kick before I go

nt

[Warpy]

3. The Grand Canyon often has a haze these days

fouling the crystal clear desert air that ordinarily makes you think you could reach out and touch things that are a mile or two away. That haze is from coal fired power plants.

Coal was a means to an end for one of the poorest tribes on some of the poorest land in the country, but they've realized the price is just too high.

I wish them all the success in the world.