Every once in a while, I get bogged down and depressed from thinking about the onset of climate change and global environmental devastation. One of the few things that lifts my spirits is reading about nonviolent movements that have created change.
In particular, there is a Global Nonviolent Action Database created by Swarthmore College students that archives historic and current nonviolent campaigns fighting for justice across the world. Occasionally, I like to browse through the archive and read about campaigns for justice and equity that I am unfamiliar with.
As I was browsing, I wondered how many protests for forests, trees, and climate justice across the United States in particular had resulted in a successful outcome. After doing some searching and reading, here is a sampling of the many examples I found:
Rabbis Protect Northern California Trees
- Cause: To protect old-growth Redwood forest
- Nonviolent methods used: letters of opposition, prayer, political mourning, theological arguments, and more
- Outcome: The logging company agreed to protect a significant amount of forest and changed its logging practices in other parts of forests they owned. The governor of California also bought the protected land and it became public forest.
Chippewa Members Stop Acid Pollution and Mining on their Reservation in Wisconsin, 1996
- Cause: to protect Chippewa land from environmental hazards and assert the tribe’s right to hunt, fish, and gather
- Nonviolent methods used: Nonviolent obstruction, petitions, protest, and more
- Outcome: The mining company withdrew its mining permit application the following spring.
Julia Butterfly Hill Defends California Redwoods, 1999
- Cause: to protect California redwoods and slow down logging process within the immediate area
- Nonviolent methods used: sit-ins, speeches, protest, and more
- Outcome: The logging company agreed to preserve the tree in which Ms. Hill sat and protested in for days, in addition to a 200 foot buffer zone
Environmentalists Achieve a Ban on Fracking in New York, United States, 2012-2014
- Cause: to ban fracking in New York state
- Nonviolent methods used: public speeches, petitions, marches, and more
- Outcome: Ban successful! It is slated to become permanent in 2021.
Pitzer College Students Win Fossil Fuel Divestment, 2012-2014
- Cause: to immediately freeze any new investments in fossil fuel companies, and to divest within five years from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds
- Nonviolent methods used: candlelight vigil, teach-ins, public speeches, and more
- Outcome: Pitzer College divested from fossil fuels.
There’s nothing that will light a fire under me and motivate to keep fighting for the forests like a good success story!
Do you remember hearing about any of these particular movements over the past few decades?
What other successful movements not listed here have given you hope?
In solidarity,
Madi Keaton, Save Pennsylvania’s Forests Coalition Coordinator