Going Green is Going Nowhere
Kamila Perla
Climate change is an ongoing issue, one that many are trying to solve through the implementation of green technology to reduce carbon emissions. ‘Going Green’ has become a campaign many corporations have begun to support in order to place their names on the movement towards having clean energy. It has been reported that between 80–90% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company that leans towards being more environmentally conscious (McMeekin, 2021). There are many positives in the market becoming more selective of which brands achieve attention. By gaining notoriety in supporting environmental issues, these companies have an incentive to reduce their waste and emissions in exchange for expanding their markets.
However, there is still a sense of superficiality in the ‘push for change’. Many of these corporations still prioritize dollar signs in their sights when converting their electricity to solar power or supporting the construction of wind turbines. Overall, the green movement has become more selective in the individuals it is involved with, namely those with more privilege and of a higher class who have the time and resources to dedicate themselves to this movement. Although there is a portion of support that comes from marginalized communities, the fact that environmentalism is inherently white cannot be overlooked. Activists from these groups do not receive the same notoriety for joining the movement or for speaking out against areas where it is lacking. The main issue we are bringing to light in this case study is the omission of Indigenous voices in the construction of Lithium Mines to supply corporations with the resources to up the construction of green/hybrid vehicles and batteries to reduce carbon emissions.
Lithium is a non-renewable mineral that is primarily used in creating renewable energy sources such as powerful batteries for smartphones, laptops, electric/hybrid cars, etc. It has been labeled as “white gold” due to its exponential demand by corporations as well as its symbol of shifting the world’s dependence on fossil fuels to clean/renewable energy sources. These corporations that rely heavily on lithium highlight the many benefits of using lithium-powered batteries and portray it as the future of our green revolution. Excitement and demand for lithium have led corporations to disregard the damaging effects of mining on the environment and the omission of the concerned voices of Indigenous communities who reside in these areas.
The main environmental concern regarding lithium mining in Indigenous lands is the amount of water that this industry uses. It is estimated that “a ton of lithium generally requires as much as 500,000 gallons of water” (Washington Post). The lithium extraction process will intensify an urgent water shortage issue among many Indigenous communities which will greatly affect agriculture and home lives as well. The extraction process also involves massive evaporation pools needed to concentrate the lithium that creates risks of groundwater contamination. The already limited groundwater sources can become exposed to chemicals, salts, and other minerals that make it toxic.
BBC News taken from Getty Images)
A recent case that exposes these issues is the Thacker Pass lithium project being completed in the state of Nevada. Thacker Pass is known to be the biggest known lithium resource in the U.S. and is a mining project organized by a corporation named Lithium Americas. The site is located on sacred land for the Paiute and Shoshone people. In the late 1800s, U.S. soldiers killed “…dozens of Indigenous people in the late 1800s, including women and children, leaving behind a burial ground with deep spiritual significance” (The Guardian). The following generations have honored their ancestors and this site through ceremonies as well as continuing to use this land through hunting and foraging. The combined efforts of the Indigenous people to protect this sacred land from the mining project have been met with many difficult legal battles. This is unfortunately common in historical cases that involved efforts to protect indigenous lands, setting precedent for new cases. Lawsuits created by local tribes and environmental groups have failed thus far in attempting to stop this project from moving forward.
by Max Wilbert)
The lack of legal protections for sacred Indigenous lands has also become more evident. The few laws that currently exist, such as the National Historic Preservation Act (which protects culturally and religiously significant Native lands) and the 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act (which protects spiritual rights), have failed to stop the digging and mining process. Cases like these reveal how legal systems currently in place allow big corporations to complete massive projects without informed consent of Indigenous communities being affected. The complete disregard and level of disrespect that have been shown towards Indigenous communities and their land is an issue that has gone on for far too long.
In other regions like the South American Lithium Triangle, the construction of mines has become the forefront in the exportation of Lithium by companies like Neo Lithium. Interest in the region emerged in 2016 where the corporation placed an exploration project in Catamarca, Argentina. The corporation expanded the project to the construction of a Lithium Mine, “under the banner of ‘sustainability’ and the transition to ‘green energy’” (Tierra Viva, 2021). Similar to other business endeavors concocted by western corporations, consultation was absent to the Indigenous communities that would be greatly affected by the mine. The local people feared “the contamination of the water, the risk of losing our production, the local fauna and flora”(Tierra Viva, 2021).
(Photo sourced from Prensanoa)
Individuals including Johana Villagran observed the adverse effects in the construction of Lithium Mines and the danger they brought to the environment under the guise of aiding the green revolution. An article with a ‘snapshot’ regarding Neo Lithium states, “[they are] focused on the green energy revolution and addressing the growing demand for lithium generated by the growth in the electric vehicle (EV) market and, more generally, new generation batteries.”(Proactive, 2021). The article further contains talks regarding a deal with “Chinese mining titan Zijin Mining Group”, where the group aims to “buy the firm and the project for a total of US$960 million”(Proactive, 2021). The emphasis regions close to the Tres Quebradas project have on ecotourism and living off the land have become endangered by this project and others like it which aim to ‘be at the forefront of green technology.’
(Photo sourced from Dialogo Chino taken by Richard Bauer)
Unlike the platform The United States has in placing policies to regulate the construction of these mines and exploitation of land, Latin America remains without a platform and voice. From the institution of Banana Republics to maquiladoras bordering the United States, the difference is non-existent when it comes to the Lithium Mines that also ‘claim to serve a bigger purpose’. The omission of Indigenous voices and concerns solidifies the continued stunt in progress many countries experience. The business endeavors these corporations have explored in areas like the Lithium Triangle highlight the facade many of them put on to play into what society needs; a move towards a greener earth. But the technocentric approach we take results in a continuous cycle that plays into the world market as another source for capital.
The environmental movement involves many needed changes within our society, especially in reducing carbon emissions. Corporations have undergone some development in an attempt to insert themselves into the green movement with advancements in technology. Despite the green movement having positive intentions in pushing corporations towards 100% clean energy in the eyes of corporations, the incentives become skewed as they set their eyes on increasing their capital. This leads to the exploitation we see happening in regions like the United States and Latin America, which disregard the voice of Indigenous communities that will be impacted the most. Sadly, this situation can be mirrored internationally in zones that have copious amounts of lithium. Overall, the ‘white gold rush’ is negatively impacting the environment, and without a sustainable alternative, it will continue to do so as much as it has been claimed to be the fuel for the “green revolution”.
Sources:
Frankle T., Whoriskey P. (2016, December 19). Tossed Aside in the White Gold Rush Indigenous people are left poor as tech world takes lithium from under their feet. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/business/batteries/tossed-aside-in-the-lithium-rush/
Golden, H. (2021, October 15). Indigenous tribes tried to block a car battery mine. But the courts stood in the way. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/15/indigenous-tribes-block-car-battery-mine-courts
Lag, N. (2021, November 25). Litio en Catamarca: un peligro para las lagunas altoandinas y la producción local. Agencia de noticias Tierra Viva. https://agenciatierraviva.com.ar/litio-en-catamarca-un-peligro-para-las-lagunas-altoandinas-y-la-produccion-local/
McMeekin, G. (2021, July 26). 10 Stats That Prove ‘Going Green’ is Good for Business. Solstice Community Solar. https://solstice.us/solstice-blog/10-stats-going-green-good-for-business/
P. (2021, October 28). Neo Lithium advancing one of the world’s best lithium brine projects towards final feasibility. Proactiveinvestors NA. https://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/929803/neo-lithium-advancing-one-of-the-world-s-best-lithium-brine-projects-towards-final-feasibility-929803.html
Images
Bahouth, B. (2021, January 19). Thacker Pass Lithium mine approval draws around-the-clock protest. Sierra Nevada Ally. https://www.sierranevadaally.org/2021/01/19/thacker-pass-lithium-mine-approval-draws-around-the-clock-protest/
BBC News. (2021, January 15). Protecting fragile ecosystems from lithium mining. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54900418.amp
Cuellar, A. (2020, March 6). Comunidades aborígenes desafían al litio en Argentina. Diálogo Chino. https://dialogochino.net/es/actividades-extractivas-es/24733-comunidades-aborigenes-desafian-al-litio-en-argentina/
Tucumano, E. (2018, September 7). Minera invertirá u$s490 millones para extraer litio en Catamarca — Producción | el tucumano. Prensanoa. http://www.prensanoa.com/amp/noticia/produccion/219/minera-invertira-us490-millones-para-extraer-litio-catamarca
