Today is “Earth Day.” The month of April is considered Earth Month, but on this day, we look to promote environmental protection and raise awareness about pollution and climate change. Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22 to promote environmental protection, raise awareness about pollution and climate change and encourage action around the world for sustainability.
Yet we often fail. One only must look at how our seasons are changing. Winter seems to start earlier and hang on almost to the end of April. Precipitation patterns are changing. We have witnessed the most horrific forest fires in our histories. We are seeing more flooding across the continent. One might question what the world will be experiencing in fifty years if this is the start of major climate changes.
Through forestry practices, we are seeing the regeneration of our forests. Through modern farming practices, we see increasing crops and diminished harm to soil erosion. They are minor steps.
Last week for the second time in history, the U.S. senate overruled a decision by President Biden allowing the building of a mine near the Boundary Waters Park in Northern Minnesota. We should be worried by the decision. Previously, the reason to not allow mining was the potential for polluting the watershed all the way to Hudson Bay. Water from that area flows through Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods.
The cancelation of the moratorium on the Duluth Mine will permit access to a third of the copper found in the US, 88 percent of the cobalt and 95 percent of the nickel along with palladium and platinum. It is a huge undeveloped mineral deposit.
Environmental groups have expressed concern on both sides of the Canada/U.S. border that mining for these minerals would release sulphides and produce methylmercury into the surrounding waters that will eventually make their way into Canada.
The mines that will be built in the area still require state permits and must meet standards so that not one drop of pollutant enters the water system. As citizens of the district who rely on our safe water, we must be vigilant and take every opportunity with our neighbours to the south to demand the highest degree of safety to protect our environment and water. Today is a good day to begin demanding our provincial and federal governments be involved in demanding regulations for this project that will protect us.
