VICTORY! (At least for now)

Katy here, with good news!

Sunday was an amazing victory for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, environmentalists, and-- perhaps most of all-- the influence that the American people have on both the government and the unethical actions of corporations. After months of protests, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers announced that it won't grant the permit necessary for the Dakota Access Pipeline to run near the tribe's water source, and will be looking into rerouting the pipeline. And any new actions will have to be reviewed for their environmental impacts.

DAPL had originally planned to cross the Missouri River north of Bismarck-- but was rerouted because of its potential threat to Bismark's water supply. Ironic, right? The fact is, native populations or their water supplies aren't seen as important or valuable to most of American culture and corporations. This is a big step in the right direction, but we can't lose our potential.

I don't know about you guys, but there were no celebrations where I live. No one even mentioned this issue at all at my school all week, nor had they previously discussed the issue without me first bringing it up. As the daughter of a member of the United Houma Nation, a native tribe of Lousiana, this issue is very personal to me. The silence of people unaffected by this kind of environmental injustice is what allows it to continue. This silence is what we're fighting against-- don't be afraid to break it!

One of the most important things we can do as teens is create dialogue in each of our schools, homes, and communities. Whether that be through simple discussions, social media, blogs, or protests all depends on what kind of person you are and what resources you have. But just because we're young doesn't mean we don't have a voice.

Here's the rundown of what happened: Basically, a douchebag company wanted to destroy sacred lands and threaten the water supply of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in North Dakota so the company can make a ton of money. And people from all over the country told them hell to the no.

The pipeline was already almost finished. It was supposed to be 1172 miles long, crossing four states. It's being built by the Energy Transfer Partners, or ETP if you wanna be cool and use acronyms. It's kind of like the EPA, except move the P, switch the A and T, and then throw any regard for the environment, future, or the fundamental human right to safe drinking water aside.

:)

Because of the above reasons, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe sued ETP in July. That gave it national attention, which led to people from all over the country standing up for the tribe and the environment. Now, the Army Corps has blocked this "black snake" from crossing under Lake Oahe, which means that the tribe's drinking water will no longer be threatened (that is, so long as the decision isn't reversed).

Is there a word for the opposite of a silver lining? 'Cause I need that word here.

This decision may not be permanent. Donald Trump has expressed his support for the pipeline, and even holds stock in the companies building it.

Luke and I'll keep you updated.

Stay positive. Stay active. Stay informed.

Love always,

Katy, your fellow teenage treehugger

The Election of 2016... Teenage Treehugger Edition!

The purpose of this blog is to inform, educate and encourage teenagers to make environmentally conscious decisions. On November 8th, arguably the most important environmental decision will be made.

Who will be our next president, and hence who will control the course of environmental policy for the next four years?

Powerless.

That's probably how you feel. Elections are crazy things, and especially as a minor, it can be frustrating to witness such an important event while not even having a say. 

But just because you don't have a vote doesn't mean your educated opinion isn't important. Opinions carry weight. Share them. Influence others. If you can't vote, try and get someone else to vote in your favor. 

Fortunately, both Luke and I turned 18 last month, so we'll be able to cast our ballots (though his is arguably more impactful than mine, as he lives in Ohio and I in Texas) on Tuesday.

We know that there are many issues to look at when voting for a president, whether economical or social or whatever else, but we, as treehuggers, see environmental problems are more urgent than any other. Other issues aside, here's the plans (or lack thereof) that each presidential candidate has to protect our wonderful Mother Earth. 

Dr. Jill Stein (Green)

Stein wants to implement a "Green New Deal" to help combat the rising issues of climate change. She also claims it will create 20 million jobs. She's running as the Green Party candidate, which, as it sounds, has a platform based primarily on environmental and social issues (the party also promotes non-violence). So, very treehugger-friendly! 

• end fracking and offshore drilling
• redirect funding to renewables
• no nuclear power-- no subsidies for nuclear or fossil fuels
• incentives for renewables
• greenhouse gas tax on all polluters 
• smart energy grid based on renewables
• 100% clean energy by 2030
• ban neonicotinoids and other harmful pesticides
• label GMOs, ban until proven safe
• environmental justice
• make sure minorities aren't disproportionately disadvantaged by environmental issues
• warrant is out for her arrest for protesting Dakota Access Pipeline

Read more about her platform here.

Mr. Donald Trump (Republican)

The Republican Party generally does not value the environment as one of its main issues—anyone who watched the primary debates can easily see that. As the solutions to environmental issues often require government regulation, it does not align with their party interests. In fact, the GOP recently proposed to get rid of all national parks and forests. Yikes.Donald Trump is no different. He consistently neglects the environment, instead favoring economic growth no matter the cost. There seems to be no long-term solutions in his platform for our earthI tried really, really hard to find something positive for this list. I swear, I did.

Here's his stance on environmental issues:

• climate change is a hoax perpetrated by China
• pledged to save the coal industry
• using "clean coal"
• approved Keystone XL gas pipeline
• withdraw from Paris Global Climate Action
• promotes on- and off-shore drilling
• open shale energy deposits
• expand land use for fossil fuel extraction
• dismantle E.P.A.
• dismantle Clean Power Plan
• as little environmental regulations as possible

Sec. Hillary Clinton (Democrat)

Secretary Clinton's plan for the environment centers around continuing and expanding on government regulation, combatting climate change by converting to clean energy sources, and supporting the Paris Climate Agreements. The Democratic party has historically been more environmentally friendly than the Republican party, but many feel that Secretary Clinton's plan is not progressive enough. 

• Climate change is a legitimate, pressing issue
• advisory counsel to help on key environmental policy and issues. with members like former EPA Administrator Carol Browner and former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm.
• No drilling off the eastern sea board for oil nor in the Arctic
• Pledged to support half of the nation's energy needs with clean energy
• Some look at this as not progressive enough - by 2030.
• Supports the Paris Climate Agreement
• install half a million solar panels by end of first term and generate enough renewable energy to power every home in 10 years.
• Benefits to coal focused communities who shift to cleaner energy grids
• "Opposes" the Keystone XL Pipeline
• Create an Environmental Task Force
• react to cumulative environmental problems (env. racism, water crisis')
• Doesn't really support fracking - doesn't see how it will be implemented.
• Opposes privatization of federally protected lands 
• Wants to create more renewable energy sources on them
• Replace the Land and Water Conservation Fund with the American Parks Trust Fund
• Put more money into the localized environment
• Western Water Partnership
• Continue to use our forests for timber but only in a sustainable manner
• Reverse or slow the decline of at-risk species' resources

Read more about her platform here. 

Mr. Gary Johnson (Libertarian)

Mr. Johnson, in classic libertarian style, believes that the federal government should leave environmental regulation to the consumers and states that entities such as the EPA should only be for protecting against pollutants. Since this is his only real view on climate change and the environment in general, he really doesn't have a comprehensive plan for any real environmental issue. While he states he believes in climate change, many see his goals as being too much of a laissez-faire approach to such an urgent issue. 

• Supports the EPA
• Only when it is protecting us from harm -- not trying to control our country
• Protect the environment for our future generations
• Does not think government run initiatives to stop climate change and environmental regulation will do any good - needs to be free market based
• Believes that the decline in revenue is based solely on the free market, not government regulation (many analysts strongly disagree with this view)
• The free market chose natural gas over coal
• If the Keystone XL Pipeline is an issue of eminent domain - then he does not support it, but if not, he does. 
• Favors Nuclear power
• Believes in a carbon tax
• Just announced this view in August -- revenue neutral
• Believes climate change is "probably" real and "probably" man-caused
• Keeps an open mind on fracking
• Opposes cap and trade legislation

Read more about his platform here. 

So what?

This election is monumental. Lives are depending on it. The Earth is depending on it. Our world is depending on it.

Our planet is the very foundation of everything we have. Without it, humanity wouldn't exist-- let alone argue over taxes or foreign policy. This is why we encourage you, even if you can't vote yet, to make sure that you consider the environment when you choose who you support to lead our country. 

This is why we support Hillary Clinton. She is the most likely candidate to bring about real change to environmental policy. While we most definitely align ourselves behind Jill Stein and the Green Party's platform more aptly, we feel like this is not the election to vote out of our two party system.

As millennials, as teenagers, and most importantly, as children of this Earth, it is so, so important to keep Trump out of office for the sake of the planet amongst many other things, which is why both of your favorite treehuggers are uniting behind Hillary for this election (though we both might vote Green in a different election). 

Hello From Katy and Luke, Your Resident Treehuggers

Homework. Extracurriculars. Work. Scholarships. Applying to college. Family. Social life. All of these things take up the lives of an average teenager, like ourselves, and probably like you, too. Because of all of these both wonderful and mind-numbing-yet-still-very-painful things, it took us quite a while to get this blog into action. But alas, about seventy-two days from our initial creation date, we are launching our blog. (Yay!!!) So, we thought we might as well outline a few things - kind of like goals for this blog, with a little introduction of the authors (us) to wrap everything up. 

Goals

Maybe you may have picked up a slight hint from the title of our blog; we are making this project to help save the environment. Through this blog we want to create change, influence readers, and share our knowledge with an audience often neglected by environmentalists: 

Teenagers. 

Gasp! I know! Why would we, other teenagers, want to help our own peers gain knowledge about environmental problems pressing our world? It's not like they have any say in what happens to Mother Earth anyways, right?

Well, while we may be pressing the devil's advocate view slightly larger than needed, we like to think that it is a huge deal to get everyone on board, not just older people. Teenagers are a huge part of this population, and will eventually influence our world more than any other generation, so it is important that they also get the same exposure to these environmentalist ideals as any other audience. Young people have increasingly been gaining social influence in all kinds of fields, and we want to make sure that the most important one (at least in our opinions) is included in that. We really are the future of the world.

So then why are we making a blog about it? Why can't they just read one of the millions of other blogs out there that focus on environmental concerns?

To answer, it all comes down to the content and how the content is directed. We, as people who take huge interest in environmental concerns, have the perspective of our audience. We don't have to make painful jokes that are trying to hard to relate to the young people of America (e.g. Pokemon Go Save the Environment!)-- though I am sure there will be lots of painful jokes involved. Especially puns. I apologize in advance. But anyway. We understand what it's like to be a teen. And we wanna show you guys how we've learned to care about and lobby for our earth!

Now that we have kind of outlined what this blog will be about, here's a little bit about ourselves!

Luke 

I'm Luke, a senior at a tiny high school in southwest Ohio. I basically live in the middle of a cornfield, and quite honestly it's pretty terrible. I have a passion for all things photography, fashion, art, literature,  and dogs (I have 3 doodles). Here's a few pictures of me though so you can get a face with my name!

Me just laying in some lovely dandelions

Me in the cutest lil' forest close to my house (my mom took this pic, thanks mom)

My interest in the environment stemmed from my childhood. I've been intrigued by the smallest things since I was young.  From the way the leaves fell in the fall to the way the flowers blossomed in the spring, my mind has constantly raced with the thoughts of what was happening outside. I light up when I see the plants in my room (about 11) grow and my heart feels fullest when thinking about ways to combat these pressing environmental problems.

I've studied things revolving around the environment for a few summers now at multiple universities, I've organized an environmental/STEM Energy summer camp in my community, fostered multiple environmental awareness campaigns, completely changed my lifestyle, and now I want to help start this blog. I want to continue with my passion for the environment and translate it to create awareness and foster change through this project. 

Hopefully you guys don't get too annoyed with me, hearing me rant about the environment weekly. But do not fear, I'm sure you all will come to fall in love with my fabulous green-ness in the coming months. And if not, hopefully you like Katy (lol). 

If you want to get to know me a little more, my social media accounts are Luk.e on Instagram, or theycallmeoprah on Twitter (be warned, there is an extreme amount of Donald Trump bashing present).

Katy

Hello friends! I'm Katy, obviously, and now that you've read Luke's intro, you already know everything about me! Luke and I met online through our mutual interest in the environment, and often joke that we're basically each other. I'm sure as this blog continues, you'll start to see it, too. He's cuter than me, though, and way better at photography. Of course, I'd kick his ass in a game of bowling, so we're even. 

Here's my face!

Me at Brown University's Environmental Leadership Lab this summer

Prom last year-- my date was my polar bear whom I love dearly 

I've lived in a teensy tiny town in southeast Texas called Orangefield for my whole life. In fact, we're so small that we aren't even a town or city-- we're a "community." There oil and natural gas industries are really big around here, so I've been exposed first-hand to a lot of environmental issues because of those. Like Luke, I don't feel like I fit in very well where I live but, as my favorite commercial novel states, "Even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there." Shout out if you know what book/movie it's from. 

I became interested in the environment in the summer of 2015, when I took a class over Geoscience at Rice University. When I took that class, we learned a lot about our sources of energy, and it made me realize the real and long-term effects of our short-sighted actions. Since then, I've become vegan, taken online and summer environmental courses, joined Citizen's Climate Lobby (which I'm sure I'll make a post about soon!), started an Earth Club, and taken steps to begin recycling at my school!  I believe that taking care of our planet is our responsibility as humans, and should be integrated into our everyday lives. Yes, we still have a long way to go. 

I love the outdoors, as you can probably tell from my photos. I love running, kayaking, hiking, camping, and though I've never climbed a mountain before (see: the flat flat flatness of Texas), I'm sure I would love it, too. 

Some of my other interests include politics, international relations, non-violence, learning, reading, cooking/baking, big dogs, all other animals, social activism, music (flute and piano and singing!), theatre, policy debate, and other things that I'm forgetting to mention. 

Anyway, you guys rock. Thanks for reading our first post. That's pretty cool of you. Stay green, and be happy. <3