“Life is not a spectator sport,” said Winona LaDuke, human rights activist, author, political Green Party runner, and self-titled protector in a lecture to encourage community activism among Skyline students Tuesday.

LaDuke’s visit on March 4, was a part of the College of Consciousness Speaker Series and Women’s History Month events happening on campus.

After a quick introduction by Skyline Professor and Women in Transition Coordinator Lori Slicton, LaDuke began her talk with a greeting in her native language, Ojibwe. Laid back and with a calm reserve, LaDuke spoke of serious issues that are affecting communities, such as global warming and oil fracking, while maintaining a sense of humor with sharp, intelligent quips.

LaDuke offered the audience to visit her in her hometown in North Dakota, explaining that the temperature there when she left for California was 15 degrees below. She smiled brightly and said, “no one wants to visit there.”

The humor was a nice warm up. The next topic of conversation was about three controversial issues that are threatening the world’s future: climate change, peak oil, an food economy.

LaDuke showed slides of what climate change looks like. There were photos of the ocean and how it looked several years ago in comparison to the present. Due to increased carbon dioxide, there are less life forms in the ocean waters today, and the color of the water has changed from a vibrant blue to a murky, darkish green. “This is how it looks when your ocean is on acid,” LaDuke quipped. There were slides on ice melting in the oceans and land destroyed by chemicals used when drilling for oil.

Fracking, a style of oil drilling was also discussed. LaDuke explained how greed has driven people to drill for oil, using thousands of powerful chemicals to extract oil from deep in the earth. She likened the greedy people behind the oil drilling to addicts; addicts who will do whatever it takes to get what they crave, LaDuke explained amidst nodding heads and some tense laughter.

Even if the land is ruined in the quest for oil, the addict is satisfied with the acquisition of oil. The addict does not care what destruction is left behind. The greed for oil drives the addict to think irrationally and selfishly, destroying property and people. LaDuke summized the addict as someone who “is a drag to be around, to deal with.”

The pipelines that are stretching from North Dakota to Wisconsin consist of old pipes, so the oil seeps into the land and fields. The property is destroyed and the crops are poisoned by the chemicals used for oil extraction. LaDuke quoted Malcolm X when she said, “(remove that oil) By any means necessary.” There was urgency in her telling of the pipelines and the destruction that they’ve left behind. She expressed how much harm these pipelines are doing as she made the room of people aware.

LaDuke reflected that she had been fighting bad ideas for 30 years. Currently, she is looking forward to the future, and what that may hold. With good planning, and correcting how things are done, the world will be a better place, LaDuke explained. The focus will be on making changes that correct the waste, destruction, and greed.

The crowd of students were encouraged to get involved with community events, mentioning the March 15 demonstration in Sacramento, CA to help stop oil fracking. LaDuke looked out into the crowd and gave a warm smile. “I’m batting for your future,” LaDuke said.

Find more information about Winona LaDuke at HonorEarth.org.