What are Power Paths?

The "hard energy path" defined by physicist Amory Lovins is marked by fossil fuel production. The legacy of this hard path for Native Americans includes coal and uranium mines on reservation lands, air pollution, depletion of ground water, and forced relocation of entire villages.

Indian Tribes are now fighting back by turning to the soft path--energy production by renewable means. As they build solar utilities on Navajo land, erect large turbines on wind-blown Lakota reservations, harvest agro-fuels and overcome dinosaur-age power interests along the way - Power Paths reveals the compelling inside stories and experiences of Native Americans who struggle to develop new energy systems that honor their ancient tradition of reverence for the natural world.

Around the West, the soft path-of decentralized energy production by renewable means- is now being pursued by these Native Americans with support from a host of urban planners and global environmental groups to university researchers and local community foundations.

Ultimately, Power Paths reveals how the fate of our air, water, and wild places are linked to decisions our nation makes about our future energy paths.. while Native cultures and the sustainability of our society itself are caught in the balance.