Stop mountain removal, activist says
Posted September 17, 2006
Julia Butterfly Hill is coming to Lexington, Kentucky. She's the woman who climbed an old-growth redwood tree in Northern California and stayed there -- for two years. Hill named the tree Luna and refused to come down until loggers agreed to spare it.
This summer, Hill climbed a tree in Los Angeles, drawing attention to the imminent destruction of a community garden in the heart of the city. Both protests attracted national publicity. Celebrities, such as Daryl Hannah and Joan Baez, joined her at the site.
Hill hopes her visit to Kentucky will make a difference. "What would make (organizers) happy is to see new faces come and to see people who are already engaged be reinvigorated," she said. "I think a lot of times those of us who have been active for a while are feeling worn and tattered around the edges...So we're coming together to re-inspire ourselves that we're not alone, that there's joy in being in service, that there is inspiration to be found."
During her talk, Hill will speak out against current mining practices. "For me, we have to find more sustainable and healthy ways to take care of our needs," she said. "I think ripping off the tops of mountains and destroying environmental quality is not a good way to deal with our insatiable appetite for energy," she said.
The activist says inaction shouldn't be an option. "Not everyone can live in a tree for two years, but every one of us can stretch beyond what we're comfortable with," she said. "There's always a way to make a difference in every moment, every choice."
Hill's appearance -- titled "One Makes the Difference" -- will take place Wednesday, Sep. 20, 2006 at the Lexington Free Public Library, 140 East Main Street, in Lexington, Kentucky. The event is free. Everyone is welcome.
Archived Comments
Thank you for sharing this information. Hill is an inspiration for all of us to act upon our beliefs, and to take better care of this gift we call Earth.
Mountain top removal is a horrible practice that has harmed the environment extensively in Eastern Kentucky.
What is sad is that it takes bringing someone in from the outside who has never lived in the mountains to point out the errors of our ways. I know that there are home grown environmentalists in the mountains of Kentucky, and I hope they are given the opportunity to participate with Ms. Hill in her presentations. She is a great symbol, but I suspect that when it comes to Eastern Kentucky coal mining, she is just a symbol.