Intertribal COUP’s ‘Native Wind’ honored in Switzerland
BASIL, Switzerland — “At the first World Clean Energy Awards in Basel’s Congress Center, Intertribal COUP’s NativeEnergy, a partnership of 12 Great Plains Tribes, was honored as ‘one of the world’s premier projects promoting large-scale use of renewable energies,'” according to Native Voices Foundation’s Tex Hall, former President of the National Congress of American Indians.
“As a proud sponsor of the Native American Olympic Teams, Intertribal COUP/Native Wind(.org) is happy to help lower America’s giant carbon footprint to also help strengthen the future of snow sports and Winter Olympics,” said Secretary Robert Gough, on returning from accepting the award with President Patrick Spears.
A high-profile jury of experts picked nine winners from Abu Dhabi, China, India, Kenya, Sweden; and American Indians won the “Special Award for Courage” for their innovative Demonstration Environmental Justice Revitalization Project Plan, initiated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe to build utility scale wind projects on Great Plains reservations.
Andre Schneider, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the World Economic Forum said, “Jurors were struck with the innovations involved with mainstreaming utility scale wind power onto America’s western transmission grid and the collective work of American Indian Tribes whose cultural and spiritual values underscore respect for, and the protection of Earth and her resources.”
*(Photo Caption: L-R – Intertribal COUP’s Patrick Spears and Bob Gough receive “World Clean Energy Courage Award” in Basel.)
Intertribal COUP includes: Cheyenne River; Flandreau Santee; Lower Brule; Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara; Omaha; Rosebud; Sisseton; Spirit Lake; Pine Ridge and Standing Rock Sioux Tribes. Home to America’s richest wind resources and poorest communities, led to COUP acquiring NativeEnergy.
“We are deeply honored and humbled by the world’s recognition coming from Tribes seeking to build sustainable economies with good paying jobs for healthy futures for our children,” said Spears.
“While making America more energy and weather secure, tribes can help meet Kyoto’s renewable energy goals of ICLEI and U.S. Conference of Mayors’ cities,” said Gough.
Last winter NativeEnergy.com partnered with students at Vermont’s Middlebury College to create the world’s first Zero Carbon Ski Area, Middlebury Snow Bowl. Vice President Gore even supports NE’s Carbon Offsets model.
Native Voices Foundation is a Colorado 501(c)3 non-profit partnership of U.S. Tribal leaders and Olympians to “create joyful unity through sports to heal Earth for all our children.”
More information about NVF: http://www.nativevoices.org/
[tags]World Clean Energy Courage Award, Native American Olympic Sponsor, Native Voices Foundation, Intertribal COUP Native Wind, Patrick Spears, Bob Gough, Tex Hall, clean energy news[/tags]
