Honor the Earth

Honor the Earth
Name	Honor the Earth
Founded	1993
Founders	Winona LaDuke; Cree leaders?
Location	United States; based in Minnesota
Focus	Indigenous environmental activism; renewable energy; cultural preservation

Honor the Earth is an Indigenous-led environmental nonprofit founded in the early 1990s to address environmental justice, Native American rights, and renewable energy on tribal lands. It was established amid rising Indigenous activism connected to broader movements around Earth Day, the Rio Earth Summit, and campaigns by Indigenous leaders such as Winona LaDuke, Vine Deloria Jr., and organizations like the American Indian Movement and the Indigenous Environmental Network. The organization operates within networks that include tribal governments, advocacy groups, environmental NGOs, and international bodies such as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

History

Honor the Earth emerged in the context of 20th-century Indigenous advocacy including actions by Sitting Bull, the legacy of Wounded Knee, and legal developments such as the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and the Indian Religious Freedom Act. Founders and early staff drew inspiration from leaders like Winona LaDuke, activists associated with the American Indian Movement, and scholars such as Vine Deloria Jr. and Paula Gunn Allen. The group formed networks with environmental organizations like the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, while collaborating on direct actions reminiscent of protests at Standing Rock, contemporary to actions by groups linked to the Dakota Access Pipeline controversy. Over time Honor the Earth linked campaigns targeting corporations such as BP, ExxonMobil, Peabody Energy, and projects like the Keystone Pipeline and coal mining operations tied to regions near the Black Hills and the Great Lakes.

Mission and Activities

The stated mission centers on supporting Indigenous communities in securing sovereignty over land, water, and energy systems, echoing themes present in documents like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and agendas pursued by groups such as the National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Rights Fund. Activities include advocacy reminiscent of litigation by the Santa Clara Pueblo and outreach paralleling campaigns by Earthjustice, public education similar to programs from the Smithsonian Institution and partnerships with academic entities such as Harvard University and the University of Minnesota for research on renewable energy and tribal economic development. The organization supports renewable energy projects on reservations, tribal policy development akin to work by the Intertribal Council on Utility Policy, and cultural programming in the vein of initiatives by the National Museum of the American Indian.

Campaigns and Projects

Honor the Earth has organized campaigns that intersect with larger movements and events—protests at sites connected to Coal River Mountain, opposition to pipelines like the Keystone XL pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline, and advocacy concerning mining projects near the Anishinaabe and Lakota territories. Projects include promoting tribal solar installations similar to work supported by the Department of Energy tribal programs, community-driven conservation echoing The Nature Conservancy partnerships, and educational tours that have featured artists and allies associated with Native American Music Awards, musicians such as Bon Iver and activists like Cecilia Martinez. Campaigns have targeted fossil fuel corporations including Shell, Chevron, and entities involved in shipping through the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes.

Partnerships and Funding

The organization has received support through collaborations and grants from philanthropic institutions comparable to the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation, and through partnerships with advocacy networks such as the Indigenous Environmental Network, the Climate Justice Alliance, and international groups that include the World Wildlife Fund and Friends of the Earth. Honor the Earth’s funding and partnership model resembles grantmaking relationships seen between tribal nonprofits and foundations like the McKnight Foundation and federal programs administered by agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy tribal energy initiatives. Corporate opposition to projects has led to high-profile confrontations with firms like Enbridge and TransCanada.

Impact and Reception

Supporters cite measurable outcomes similar to victories achieved by groups like the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council: stalled pipeline projects, adoption of tribal renewable energy policies, and increased visibility for Indigenous environmental issues at forums such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Critics from energy industries and some local governments have compared the organization’s tactics to those used by protesters at Standing Rock and in disputes over the Black Mesa Coal Mine, arguing for economic trade-offs. Media coverage has appeared alongside reporting by outlets analogous to The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, and Indigenous press like the Indian Country Today.

Governance and Organization

Honor the Earth is structured as an Indigenous-led nonprofit with governance practices reflecting tribal protocols and nonprofit law similar to standards overseen by the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) entities and board practices adopted by organizations such as the National Indian Gaming Association. Leadership has featured Indigenous activists and staff who have worked in tandem with tribal councils, intertribal groups like the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, and legal advocates from firms and organizations such as the Native American Rights Fund and scholars from institutions like Yale Law School and the University of Arizona.

Category:Indigenous rights organizations Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States Category:Native American history