So… NO DAPL… what exactly is this protest about and why do we as college students care…?

Well, this acronym, standing for Dakota Access Pipeline, is actually pretty important. The peaceful DAPL protest going on right now in North Dakota has brought an outpouring of concern and assistance to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in hopes of protecting the land, drinking water, AND sacred burial grounds legally owned by the Sioux tribe.

The issue is this: If this pipeline is implemented under the Big Sioux, Missouri, and Mississippi River, there is a chance that the pipe will burst and contaminate the water, destroying all eco-systems above this pipe (farmlands, forests, towns/cities, and these rivers themselves).

How this would effect you: Well, if this pipeline was to burst as predicted (which, based on past events of pipeline related accidents, they have a good chance of being right), this crude oil would pour into America’s safe drinking water and land, and yet again Americans have put a ginormous strain on the planet Earth.

Since the Dakota Access Pipeline directly affects the sacred land, water and burial grounds of the Sioux tribe in North Dakota, they have started a movement to bring the country together and stop this pipeline from hurting the mother nature they care so deeply about.

The Native Americans (or First Americans…which I think brings forward the culture’s actual history to the surface since we are ALL colonizers and immigrants to this land-but that’s for another article), are in general much more in touch with our planet due to their upbringing and societal norms. Every aspect of their culture orbits around the central idea that the Earth is the source of power, what they belong to rather than own, and is a given that we must protect and treat our planet with love.

What a lovely thought, right? Since we do have to live on this planet until we take our last breath, it would be nice if we could treat our resources with respect so we can rely on our planet being safe to inhabit for years to come (even if for no other reason but to be able to breathe freely as we scroll through our Facebook newsfeed watching cute puppy videos).

The irony that our government is pushing for a pipeline (that was passed quietly) through the land belonging to a culture which has a deep and spiritual connection to our planet kinda makes me wanna cry.There is a HUGE moral aspect to this protest, which I encourage you all to learn about (maybe google right after you finish reading this?) Land and resources rightfully belonging to Native Americans are constantly being intrusively plucked, abused and taken by our own government for the USA agenda, rather than for human species efforts (DAPL as a great example).

I think it is fair for me to say that every human reading this article would enjoy having clean water available to them wherever you may live. I know that it is easy to ignore issues such as the DAPL when in college or consumed with our own lives… but think about how the Standing Rock Sioux feel… do you think they’d rather be consumed with other things, such as writing an essay due at midnight or thinking about that 8 am class they have in the morning, rather than worrying if their ancestor’s remains will be disturbed by a pipeline that will later destroy the water source they rely on for clean water, their crops and their spiritual way of life???

Yea…most likely.

So do we let this Dakota Access Pipeline happen? I mean… if you were to go to the daplpipelinefacts.com website, you could read that, “Underground pipelines are the safest mode of transporting crude oil. Monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year, including rigorous pipeline integrity planning and maintenance, federal statistics show that underground pipelines transport crude oil more safely than ships, rail, or trucks.”

Well, jeez, that does sound convincing… but wait what about the Colonial Pipeline burst in Alabama literally two months ago??? And what about the explosion in Alabama from this same pipeline (due to a “piece of excavation equipment hitting the pipeline”… like come on people) killing one and injuring five??

This peaceful protest to the Dakota Access Pipeline is TOTALLY understandable. We as a human species have SO MUCH TO LOSE when we damage our planet.

The more and more oil, coal, and carbon dioxide gas we spill, burn, and release into our o-zone layer, the more it will affect every single living creature on this planet. And, if you have not noticed so far during you (20ish?) years of life, we as a human species have not done so well with this issue thus far.

BUT WAIT! THERE IS A WAY TO HELP THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE AND ALL OF US AS COLLEGE STUDENTS/ YOUNG ADULTS, TOO!!!

1. Educate yourself so you can educate others!!! There are a few different sources online to look through regarding the DAPL (which I also looked through). I will attached them to the bottom of this page.
2. Donate to the efforts of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. The tribe is currently suing the Army Corps to block the building of the pipeline.
3. Partake in/create your own DAPL solidarity actions on your campus or local area.
4. Visit North Dakota and physically stand with Standing Rock against the future destruction of OUR futures.

I hope this article has given you enough information to ponder and possibly sparked some curiosity to further investigate this protest/issue yourself.

And just remember: However an organization/person/culture etc affects the planet you live on, it DOES directly affect you. This planet is where our college classes and friends exist. So if you enjoy your Starbucks lattes, beach trips, and living in general it might be in your best interest to cover all of your bases. Which is why our first priority (and if we can learn anything from the Natives of this land) should be the protection of our Mother Earth.