Tag: water pollution

Kind of a dick…

emyminzel

It’s recently occurred to me that I am kind of a dick. I don’t mean to be, I very much try to be a nice person to everyone I encounter, even unkind folks. That’s who my best self likes to be, open minded and compassionate. Lately I have had low tolerance for people who aren’t accepting of others, or my opinion of the environment, how hypocritical is that? I am a dick to the dicks I come across and I realize that it is my ego saying “No not like that. Do it my way.”

I have been writing about environmental awareness this week, it is one of my passions. I feel that it is part of my life’s purpose to speak up about the injustices happening to Mother Earth. Especially when it come to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota because it means so much to me. When my Adventure Sister Stacy and I go deep in to the forest of the BWCA we reconnect with spirit and ourselves. It is a magical time for us to recharge our souls by connecting with The Universe through nature. We would not be able to do that if it were to be poisoned my mining for its resources. It would not be the same place at all.

The thought of losing such a treasure makes my blood boil and my warrior spirit or ego gets all worked up. This is a stark contradiction to my other self! In my other life I am a massage therapist and light worker that believes the energy you give out comes back to you. On one hand I am a healer, a caretaker and a generally happy person, on the other hand I am human, I have a darker side too. We all do.

I struggle at times to keep the balance between keeping my thoughts and vibrations high by counting my blessings. Then when I start thinking about the possibility of something I cherish so profoundly, such as the Boundary Waters, becoming polluted, my love turns to fear, my fear turns to anger then I turn into that dick I was just talking about. I think this reaction is universal to most people I know when something or someone they love seems to be threatened.

So, what do I do to keep my vibrations and thoughts positive about a subject like environmental pollution that is not a happy subject at all? How do I stay true to my values of kindness and compassion when I am feeling the exact opposite? I must accept the duality of my true self, we all have light and dark energy for a reason, our emotions spur us to take action when we feel it is necessary. Our Yin Yang energy is variable it is meant to flow in balanced state, yet it is altered by our thoughts and actions. I know this, and I try so hard to keep it balanced yet someday’s I fail miserably.

So next time I come across a dick being a dick, I will try not to be a dick too. I will acknowledge that maybe they are reacting the same way that I do. They may be fearful or angry about something and I must listen to them if they are to listen to me.  This is the only way we can make progress, we are all on the same team on the same planet. I will do my best to keep my words and message positive, yet I know that life isn’t always joyful and there are subjects that do need to be discussed even if they are uncomfortable.

So here I am still a good person, with good intentions, sometimes a dick, most of the time I am not. My reasons are not excuses to be rude, yet I will not be mute on a subject that must be addressed. In the end I don’t need others to like me, I need them to listen, so that I can fulfill my purpose of environmental awareness. I know that I don’t like to listen to someone I don’t like, so I must be more aware of the words I use and how I use them to get my message across. I am a work in progress we all are.

Blessings ~

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

https://emyminzel.com

@emyminzel

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

https://stacycrep.com

Save the Boundary Waters Canoe Area!

emyminzel

The environment is very important to me, it is my passion. We take so much from her, doing something anything to give back and help her out she would appreciate, so will our children and grandchildren. My intention, is to spread awareness of our effects on the planet, whether they are intentional or not we CAN and must, change our direction of unsustainable consumption of its resources.

There is currently controversy surrounding the area called the Iron Range, of Minnesota it is a taconite mining community. Minnesota State officials are currently under pressure to grant a mining permit to Twin Metals Minnesota Mining to mine sulfite-ore copper at The Boundary Waters Canoe Area headwaters and pressure keeps building.

The Taconite/Iron Ore mines employ a great number of families in the area. I grew up on the Iron Range, it’s made up of good hearted regular families like yours. What I aim to do is spread education to the well-intentioned citizens of the area that the proposed Sulfite-ore copper mining is very different.

Sulfite Mining is not the same as the Iron Ore mining culture that they are used too. Sulfide-ore copper mining is much more toxic than Minnesota’s taconite mining. Sulfite-ore copper produces giant waste piles that, when exposed to air and water, leach sulfuric acid, heavy metals and sulfates. Sulfide-ore copper mines pollute groundwater, rivers and lakes. In the history of sulfide mining, pollution has never been avoided.

Hard rock mining, most of which is sulfide mining, contributes to more superfund sites than any other activity. A Superfund site is any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and identified by the EPA as a candidate for cleanup because it poses a risk to human health and/or the environment.*

Sulfite-Copper mining is dangerous very toxic, waste from this type of mining generates sulfuric acid historically seen to have disastrous consequences in a previous site located in Canada. This type of toxic waste cannot be cleaned up for centuries…CENTURIES! As in 500 years plus… or probably never.

I do not know of any company in the whole wide world to have that kind of money or morals to be responsible for an environmental clean-up that last for centuries. Do you? It is unheard of. That’s what bankruptcy is for… Then you know who gets to foot the bill?! That’s right… Tax payers. Slick trick right?! They get what they want and move on to the next area to ravage.

This is happening and common practice in places all over the US our environment is under attack by money hungry corporations that take no responsibility for their actions. Currently there is talk of opening Federal Land for Resource grabbing as in Fracking Yellow Stone National Park, Grand Canyon, etc.

Our “resources” like clean water and air are what keep us alive. A few years of jobs is not worth the risk of ruining the region for the next 500 years of toxic pollution; ruining the precious wilderness we all hold as a pride in the natural beauty our native home of Minnesota boasts.

There are already many people in the Ely, MN area that are protesting and voicing their avid rejection of the sulfite-ore copper mining proposal. There are also people who are in favor of it, because it will bring jobs to the area. I do understand the need for jobs, I do not understand the need to poison ourselves and the land we love for short term reward.

This ball is rolling right now my friends and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area NEEDS YOU to be its voice! The trees, pristine waters, fish and wild life in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area cannot defend or speak for themselves. We need to take responsibility for our land before someone else takes it from us. If it’s accidental or on purpose if this area is polluted and ravaged by toxic waste, we will have lost one of the last pristine wild areas left in the United States of America.

You may think I am exaggerating but I am not friends. Do your own research and discover for yourself the depth of water pollution in the US, it will frighten and astound you. We are on the verge of water wars because of our misuse of the natural resources we have been blessed with. It is not every day citizens like you and me doing this polluting and pillaging.

We must unite and say enough is enough, this is happening in all states in some area not too far from you, and it’s up to us to be paying attention. We are letting the Fox guard the Hen house, government officials are not doing their jobs, looking the other way of the citizens protesting the impending pollution.

Please help by signing this petition to stop sulfite-ore copper mining from impending devastation in Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/

Sending love and blessing to my fellow Earth Warriors,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

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(https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/how-help/distribute-fact-sheets)

(www.bwcasulfitemining.org)

(http://www.friends-bwca.org/issues/sulfide-mining)

#batshitpassionate

emyminzel

I am an avid nature lover, I consider myself an Earth Warrior or in other words… an Environmental Activist. After finding out the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota is under looming threat of toxic sulfite-ore copper mining threatening imminent devastating pollution lasting for over 500 years, I feel deep in my soul that I NEED to do something, ANYTHING to raise awareness and call the rest of my fellow Earth Warriors in to battle against this mining proposal. The BWCA is a magical place, it deserves our protection and nurturing, we must not allow corporate interests to spoil this beautiful treasure of Minnesota.

I have always loved nature, but I never got to involved with politics. After doing my research on why and how all this pollution is happening, that is exactly how my political interests kicked. You follow the money, when it comes to large corporations polluting the planet it will surprise many people to know that it is all legal thanks to the Clean Air and Water Act which just happens to be very corporate polluter friendly.

Special interests have paid for the right to desolate, devastate and pollute, while ‘our’ politicians paid to represent us, are happy to sign those bills for a big enough check. It is regular practice of polluting Corporations to just pay the fine by the EPA instead of complying with the regulations continuing with business as usual polluting anyway.

As an environmentalist, I am horrified how we treat the Earth. How we  brazenly manipulate or destroy nature to somehow make it work “better” for us is downright ego-maniacal. We need to work with her forces; we will never better ourselves by trying to poison the earth and battle against the nature of life.

Corporations (which are “people” according to Citizens United) are irresponsibly ravaging the planet, consuming her relentlessly, buying our government, taking all they want to support our demand for a high tech, fast paced, modern, and may I add unhealthy way of life, with no regard for life or the communities they affect by doing so.

We can start to help by doing little things, voting with your dollar, composting, reducing waste, and recycling. I have heard people say, “I don’t have time for recycling!” Really?! You don’t have time to put an aluminum can in a separate garbage can? They make big garbage containers just for that now they even come to your house and take it away. We need to recycle so much more then cans.

It blows my mind how obtuse people can be about the pollution problem of the planet, yet if we all put in just a little effort it would add up. There’s garbage in the oceans, acidifying and killing the coral reefs and poisoning the fish we over consume. What are we doing about the nuclear radiation still leaking into the ocean in Fukushima, Japan? Nothing. We are doing nothing.

I have learned factory farming leaving toxic cesspools of feces leading to increasing emissions, I’ve learned Fracking for “natural gas” is clearly poisoning land and drinking water, but is conveniently exempt from the Clean Water Act or any form of prosecution?! Fracking waste has been proven to cause all kinds of health issues not to mention how to get “rid” of the waste and the gasses that come up from sites polluting the air and everyone around it. Now they are using the polluted water from fracking waste solution to water crops of the food you buy in the super market near you.

I wish being informed on the health of the earth and our environment was part of the nightly news along with the nightly weather report. We would all be astonished if it were to learn the truth of things. You would worry for your children’s future and you would be as angry about it as I am. This is where my involvement in politics kicks in, I do encourage you to get involved if these words ring true to you.

We can and will make a difference if we do it together.

Please help by signing this petition to stop sulfite-ore copper mining from impending devastation that could destroy the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/

Sending love and blessing to my fellow Earth Warriors,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister