The Trump administration has advanced the process of opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to lease sales. The Department of Interior released its "Record of Decision" on August 17, 2020

The Trump administration has advanced the process of opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to lease sales. The Department of Interior released its "Record of Decision" on August 17, 2020 taking the most aggressive and destructive drilling alternative possible. It paves the way for lease sales as early as December. During an oil glut, increasing threats from climate change, and a world-wide pandemic, the administration will attempt to lease the entire Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge-- more than 1.5 million acres-- to the oil industry. Representing the last 5% of America’s Arctic Coastal Plain where the law has barred oil and gas activity, this would forever transform these wild lands into a toxic industrial drilling complex. The Gwich’in people who depend on these lands call it “the sacred place where life begins.”

This move threatens the food security, and spiritual and cultural foundation of the Indiginous Gwich'in Nation, in addition to threats to endangered polar bears, the Porcupine Caribou herd, and birds that migrate to these lands from six continents and all 50 states. This is one of the most high-profile battles in America today at the intersection of the environment and social justice. 

This video includes five members of the Gwich’in community-- raising their voices at the 2016 Gwich’in Gathering in Arctic Village, Alaska-- Neets’aii Gwich’in Tribal Land. Thanks to Arctic Village Council, Venetie Tribal Council and Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government for permission for National Geographic photographer Florian Schulz to record these testimonies.

#ProtectTheArctic #StandwiththeGwichin

Voices include:

Dr. Rev. Trimble Gilbert
Sarah James
Nani’eeth Peter
Gideon James
Anthony Garnett
Narrator: Princess Daazhraii Johnson

Chetan Singh Solanki discusses his work towards sustainability through his “Energy Swaraj” lifestyle, and the immediate actions we can take to combat climate change across the globe,

Chetan Singh Solanki discusses his work towards sustainability through his “Energy Swaraj” lifestyle, and the immediate actions we can take to combat climate change across the globe, drawing concepts from his book "Energy Swaraj—My Experiments with SOLAR Truth".

Educator, researcher and innovator Chetan Singh Solanki is currently on an Energy Swaraj Yatra, which includes fully living on a solar bus for 10 years. Having started in November 2020 in the wake of catastrophic climate change, and committing until 2030, the purpose is to create a public movement towards the adoption of the use of 100% solar energy. Solanki has been referred to as the “Solar Man of India” by some, while others call him the “Solar Gandhi.” Following Gandhian ideals, he coined the phrase ‘Energy Swaraj’, and to establish it globally, he founded the Energy Swaraj Foundation (ESF). Solanki has also led major solar projects at IIT Bombay, including his SoULS project, in which he provided clean, efficient, affordable and reliable energy for 7.5 million families.

Solanki has been the recipient of many awards and accolades, including but not limited to: the Prime Minister’s Innovation Award for his SoULS project, the first prize in the Solar Chulha Design Challenge by ONGC, and three Guinness World Records. He is the Chairman of the committee of the Central Board of Secondary Education and a member of the National Focus Group on Environmental Education. He is the author of 7 books, has published over 100 research papers internationally and has 4 U.S. patents to his credit.

For more information on Solanki and his Energy Swaraj Yatra, please visit https://energyswaraj.org/.

Get the book here: https://goo.gle/3F5v6Q0.

Moderated by Johnson Jose.