Tribal college students can make a difference in their schools' carbon emissions.

Kandi Mossett's group can show them how. She presented information on how to deal with global warming at the 27th Annual American Indian Higher Education Consortium spring conference.

Mossett is a tribal campus climate organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network. The network helps organize campus groups, among other awareness activities.

The student groups prepare a campus plan to set goals to decrease emissions and organize projects. Some schools have built straw bale buildings, like at Turtle Mountain Community College. Other possibilities include wind turbines and solar panels.

"The first thing to do is educate yourself, then spread the word," Mossett said.

Through the remainder of the conference, she will be at an exhibit booth with information about the program. She spent most of the presentation laying the groundwork for climate change or global warming.

The issue matters to tribal people across the country. Sacred lands are at stake, tribal land is polluted as non-renewable resources are mined and traditional ways are forgotten as economic decisions for the short term are weighed against the long-term environmental impact of new power plants and oil refineries.

Mossett said she encouraged people in the audience to speak up during the public commenting periods for the environmental impact statements required by the Environmental Protection Agency on the proposed Fort Berthold refinery and the Big Stone II power plant project, or other projects that need an impact statement.

Other workshops during the conference look at technology, study habits, testing and research. Students will take part in different competitions throughout the conference. The areas of competition are art, speech, business, science and traditional plants. A knowledge bowl, basketball tournament, pool tournament and hand game competition rounded out other activities. Monday wrapped up with a pow-wow in the Civic Center.

The competitions are meant to represent the educational areas available at a tribal college. The conference is expected to draw 1,200 students from across the country.

For more information about the conference, and for a schedule of activities, visit www.aihec.sittingbull.edu.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)