I was supporting that "fight" from the other end of the valley. Had that guy won, it would have opened up a can of worms. I think we still need to be vigilant in protecting the water. Up here there have been so many new wells drilled that people are starting to have problems with their wells. Thanks for writing about this. It was a time when people agreed about what was important.
I agree that we need to stay focused on protecting the water. With the area population boom, planners and the agencies consider that water abundant and that a well or a few don't take that much water. But no agency or planner with power seems to be taking a cumulative, holistic veiw of the collective extraction of water. We had one agency hydrology person testify that as long as there was any water in the river, more permits could be issued. I don't have an answer, just that those of us who care and recognized the sacredness and importance of our water continue to be involved in some way. We have developed a model of the aquifers in the main valley area that helps by providing some data, but the model doesn't yet include the Whitefish area - because the model was developed because of the bottling plant and adding data takes expertise and money. It's something that could be done though. Thanks so much for your support of our water. Your early Facebook video was one of the ways I learned where the bottling plant was.
Having walked with you through this 7 year process of protecting the waters near you in Montana from greed and an extraction-at-any-cost-mentality has been a total inspiration to witness. And i do so pray that your tenacity and courage will be a model for hope and focus for other community groups to gather and mobilize for preservation of the beauty and sanctity of the Earth! I feel like if each one of us would choose ONE front to make a stand for the Earth, as you did with water, we truly would have a huge impact for awakening others to the need for respect and reverence for the Earth!! A big bow of thanks and appreciation for this WIN for the EARTH!!! ariel spilsbury
Addendum to Ariel's share.. I just read last night in an incredible book Plant Intelligence by Stephen Buhner, a quote that spoke so strongly to the grassroots organizing that you did, that I wanted to share .." .. The path that I am suggesting is the path of a deep belief and trust in the individual.. a belief that all solutions must occur on the ground in the location where the problems are most manifest, that those solutions must be created by those who live in those locations, generated out of their own inherent genius and their own deeply human nature, which of course, includes things like empathy, love, adaptability, intuition , spirituality and their own unique form of reason."
I was supporting that "fight" from the other end of the valley. Had that guy won, it would have opened up a can of worms. I think we still need to be vigilant in protecting the water. Up here there have been so many new wells drilled that people are starting to have problems with their wells. Thanks for writing about this. It was a time when people agreed about what was important.
I agree that we need to stay focused on protecting the water. With the area population boom, planners and the agencies consider that water abundant and that a well or a few don't take that much water. But no agency or planner with power seems to be taking a cumulative, holistic veiw of the collective extraction of water. We had one agency hydrology person testify that as long as there was any water in the river, more permits could be issued. I don't have an answer, just that those of us who care and recognized the sacredness and importance of our water continue to be involved in some way. We have developed a model of the aquifers in the main valley area that helps by providing some data, but the model doesn't yet include the Whitefish area - because the model was developed because of the bottling plant and adding data takes expertise and money. It's something that could be done though. Thanks so much for your support of our water. Your early Facebook video was one of the ways I learned where the bottling plant was.
Great insight Cynthia. Thanks for writing about this and keeping it in the front of our minds.
I was definitely concerned and went down there to feel the energy of what was happening. It was very predatory and alarming.
Having walked with you through this 7 year process of protecting the waters near you in Montana from greed and an extraction-at-any-cost-mentality has been a total inspiration to witness. And i do so pray that your tenacity and courage will be a model for hope and focus for other community groups to gather and mobilize for preservation of the beauty and sanctity of the Earth! I feel like if each one of us would choose ONE front to make a stand for the Earth, as you did with water, we truly would have a huge impact for awakening others to the need for respect and reverence for the Earth!! A big bow of thanks and appreciation for this WIN for the EARTH!!! ariel spilsbury
Addendum to Ariel's share.. I just read last night in an incredible book Plant Intelligence by Stephen Buhner, a quote that spoke so strongly to the grassroots organizing that you did, that I wanted to share .." .. The path that I am suggesting is the path of a deep belief and trust in the individual.. a belief that all solutions must occur on the ground in the location where the problems are most manifest, that those solutions must be created by those who live in those locations, generated out of their own inherent genius and their own deeply human nature, which of course, includes things like empathy, love, adaptability, intuition , spirituality and their own unique form of reason."