What do you say when someone disagrees with something that you believe to be true? What do you say when people argue against a mission? When I first went to work in White Earth (Gaa-waabaabiganikaag) Minnesota-learning all that I did with the land, people and environment-I thought that maybe this is what I was suppose to be doing. I say that if I care about the land and people, these are the things and the issues I should be covering and helping with.

Over the years I have come across a few people that do not agree with certain things about coal, oil, gas and industry.

Yes-it can be difficult when you're the only person in a roomful that thinks and feels a certain way about an issue. Even more so when you take action, even if that action is not an intentional direct attack against people or businesses, somewhere that action has an effect.

It is much easier to immerse yourself when everyone is encouraging and in agreement with you. You almost feel and begin to think that the rest of the world is with you too. And then you come across people that do not agree with you, sometimes those people are close to you. Do you let your views, values and ideas flow?? Sometimes maybe, sometimes not. But I found myself wondering, what should I do? Do I consistently argue facts to them? Do I listen intently and understandingly to what they say?

As I have been using my social medias to spread the word about Copenhagen and climate change issues, I have gotten great responses and some not so great responses. Some of the responses, although they could be seen as negative, are only responses regardless of their negation.

Some said that Climate Change is a phony issue, that if you want to be green-to be green-turn off your computer, plant a tree, "switching" to green renewables isn't going to lessen the cost of our current resources-and there will be no new creation of jobs, only a job shift from one sector to another.

And they're right. It is a phony issue, they are entitled to their opinions, not their own facts. It shouldn't be seen as a dire "switch", but an alternative, an option, because some do not have any. The shifted jobs from industry someday may no longer be and the "sustainable jobs'' will. There is only so much of a resource to use, it will change too. There are options.

Sometimes you have to stand up for what you see. Even if it is to a complete stranger on FaceBook about Climate Change, even if it is your brother-in-law! I will listen to what they have to say, try and understand their thinking, but my concern and mission will always be for the people and for this Earth (Aki').