Mining and Peace, Including Peace with Earth

by Barbara Sinacore
Albany Meeting

Mining at the present time is done in neither a peaceful nor an earth friendly manner. This is especially problematic as the mining of minerals, particularly rare earth minerals, are needed for electronic devices such as cell phones, and for green energy such as wind and solar.

Typical mining operations are environmentally devastating, and employ impoverished people working in inhuman conditions for low pay in their now devastated countryside. As if this were not enough, armed paramilitary groups terrorize the inhabitants as corrupt governments and others seek to gain control over the lucrative mining. While there are well-intended measures in place to prohibit these conflicts, enforcement is not necessarily possible.

Recycling of these minerals is generally not feasible, as there are typically many minerals, each in minuscule quantities. There is promising research on replacing rare earth minerals with other minerals in electronics and green energy. However, several questions remain. How can we greatly lessen our use of mined minerals? How can the now smaller amount of minerals we want be mined in an earth- and people-friendly way?

In order to encourage peace in the world, it is necessary to speak truth to power in the case of violation of human rights and safety. If one's basic rights and needs are not honored, it is very difficult for him/her to relate peacefully to others. Then those people form groups, not always peaceful, out of desperation. This is one of the seeds of rebellions, conflicts, wars. Healing that desperation with positive action is one of a peacemaker’s jobs. 

As part of our Quaker peace testimony, how might we seek to remove our complicity with the occasion for armed conflict? Could we work to encourage a new mindset query: do I personally NEED a new cell phone every time my cell phone company tells me I have an upgrade available? Could I wait until I get a notice that they will no longer be servicing my current phone? Could I put the earth's health and my fellow humans' needs before my own preference for the fastest, most efficient, entertaining phone?

Could we share these queries with neighbors, friends, and fellow Quakers to encourage people that small acts are not useless? If our small act is combined with those of countless others, we are not powerless.

How can we negotiate mutual security with countries, such as China, who have these crucial minerals? How can we address situations that could lead to armed conflicts?

No, the peace testimony is not unrealistic if I only bite off chunks I can chew and band together with others as they also do so. I define how I personally respond to this testimony and that makes it manageable and doesn't lead me to despair at the immensity of world conflicts. Also I remember that some projects, such as civil rights, take generations, and even small moves forward can be honestly celebrated. I am inspired and guided by my personal lived peace testimony as it uses my own divinely given talents and energies, my own contribution as a part of the Quaker family. I am also inspired by others' creative definitions and their commitment to them. These fill me with strength when I am weary and provide arm-in-arm courage to keep on keepin' on.

To me Quakerism is, in part, a call to be “useful” in the repair of this world. And to follow the peace testimony as fully as I can, reminding myself that my little efforts CAN and DO add to the compassionate acts being done on a minute by minute basis...RIGHT NOW and IN THE FUTURE.