Rainbow Research, Inc

06/09/2026

06/06/2026

The next book suggestion is by Kaylee Carnahan, our communications specialist.

Reclaiming the Commons- Biodiversity, Indigenous Knowledge, and the Rights of Mother Earth
By Vandana Shiva

"Our seeds, our biodiversity, our Indigenous knowledge is our common heritage... We have a duty to save and share them, and hand them over to future generations in their richness, integrity, and diversity," and "Therefore we have a duty to disobey any law that makes it illegal for us to save and share our seeds." -Vandana Shiva

“The fight to protect biodiversity continues. First, it was over seeds and genetic engineering; now, it involves carbon offsets tied to species such as whales, buffalo, and leopards. Corporations continue to push unethical frameworks that serve the rich and lay claim to life. This book provides an excellent reference for understanding the history of these struggles and how communities around the world have defended biodiversity and Indigenous knowledge. Understanding what has been done in the past is essential for navigating the challenges and battles that lie ahead.” -Kaylee

06/06/2026

⬇️⬇️⬇️Help to protect the sacred⬇️⬇️⬇️

Your Voice is Needed to Protect Pipestone!

TAWACIN GA CANTE WANJINA KAWITA UNYANKAPTE!

Please Stand with us in ONE HEART and ONE MIND to protect and preserve one of our most sacred sites, C'an O'he, from the potential harm of the Magellan/OneOK Reroute Pipeline Project.

Information to Submit Comments: Docket No. IP-7109/PPL-23-109

Comment Period:
Initial comment period closes June 22, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.
Reply comment period closes July 6, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.
Supplemental comment period closes July 13, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

Topics for Comment:
- What action should the Commission take regarding Magellan’s Phase I Inventories for RA-01 and RA-03 Compliance Filing?
- What action should the Commission take concerning the routing permit for the proposed Pipestone Reroute Project?

Submit Comments:
Online: https://mn.gov/puc/consumers/public-comments
Email: [email protected]
U.S. Mail:
Consumer Affairs Office
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
121 7th Place East, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101

05/22/2026

Today is International Day of Biodiversity.

Here at Rainbow Research, we support biodiversity by promoting and advocating for agroecology. Conventional farming practices like monocrops are harmful at best, often devastating to local ecology. These practices are linked to the degradation of biodiversity.
Agroecology, rooted in Traditional Knowledge, is practiced all over the world, supports biodiversity and in most cases helps to build it.

"Industrial food systems are a primary driver of biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and soil and freshwater pollution. They threaten 86% of the 28,000 endangered wildlife species worldwide, and have decreased crops and animal genetic diversity to a low point, with only 12 plants and 5 animals making up 75% of the world’s consumption." -Global Alliance for the Future of Food

https://futureoffood.org/new-report-outlines-the-crucial-role-of-agroecology-in-addressing-the-biodiversity-crisis/

05/20/2026

Today we are celebrating World Bee Day.

Bees may be small in size yet their impacts are enormous!

How are bees linked to Environmental and Social Justice?

Bees are some of the most important contributors to biodiversity on our planet. By pollinating wild plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables, they help ecosystems thrive and support countless species of wildlife. A healthy bee population means healthier forests, gardens, and food systems. There are also over 20,000 known species of bees worldwide, adding to the rich diversity of our ecosystems.

Bees do far more than make honey, especially native bees—they help pollinate nearly one-third of the food we eat, including many fruits and vegetables that are essential for healthy diets. As bee populations continue to decline, our global food supply is put at risk, leading to higher food prices and reduced access to nutritious foods. Unfortunately, low-income families are often hit the hardest, as rising costs make healthy eating even more difficult. Protecting bees means protecting our food system, our environment, and our communities.

The overuse of harmful pesticides like neonicotinoids impact bees and vulnerable communities—it’s devastating pollinators like bees that are essential to our food system and environment. These toxic chemicals contaminate plants, soil, air, and water, putting agricultural workers and nearby low-income communities at serious risk of health problems, including respiratory illnesses and neurological damage. Families living near large farming operations often have little protection from pesticide drift and contaminated water supplies, making this not only an environmental issue, but also an environmental justice issue. We need safer, more sustainable farming practices that protect both people and the bees.

05/19/2026

“Cultural burns are about more than fire. They’re about living with the land.” 🔥

As conversations around cultural burning grow, terms like “cultural fire” and “prescribed burns” are increasingly being used interchangeably. But not all fire is the same. And the words we use matter. The latest from our senior fire advisor provides a starting point to help clarify what defines these fire management methods–and how they benefit the land.

Click this link to dive deep into the topic of cultural fire vs prescribed burns: https://www.ilinationhood.ca/blog/is-it-a-cultural-burn-or-a-prescribed-fire

05/17/2026

Our first book recommendation is from our Operations Director, Susan Reiter!

"…a book that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page…a book that you will return to to re-read the words that struck you…
Diane Wilson’s The Seed Keeper is a story that takes place geographically where I live. I can walk the land and the riverbanks described in these pages…I can read and hear the stories of “history” I was taught in school that are blankets meant to smother and silence what this land and its people know. But as a woman, I can feel the stories told within this book…I can unravel what I was taught and feel the stories of women and their connection to the land and what happens to THIS world we live in now when we as a society try to break that bond." -Susan Reiter

Diane Wilson’s artful storytelling is compelling; it weaves the history of this land through today. It reflects how the strength and resilience of women can lead us on the path that brings hope and healing.

The Seed Keeper and many other amazing books and authors can be found through Milkweed Editions an independent nonprofit publisher, by visiting milkweed.org.

05/15/2026

We're proud to stand in solidarity with Eastside Neighbors for Health and the Climate Justice Committee in the fight to end Northern Iron's pollution impacting the health of a East Side STP community. Whether it's a garbage burner or a foundry, we are united in the fight for healthy communities!

Rally this Saturday, 5/16 at 1 PM — Payne Ave & Maryland Ave E, Saint Paul. Our own Leslie Myint will be speaking. Come out and show solidarity with our East Side STP friends.

05/12/2026

Today in Liberation History!

Poor People’s March - May 12th, 1968

In 1968, following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the Poor People’s Campaign—led by Ralph Abernathy and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference—became a multi-racial uprising against economic injustice in the United States. Thousands of poor Black, Latino, Indigenous, and white activists occupied Washington, D.C., building “Resurrection City” on the National Mall as a direct challenge to a system built on poverty, racial inequality, and state neglect. From May to June, they demanded jobs, living wages, housing, and education, declaring that true freedom required not just civil rights, but the total dismantling of economic oppression.

~Inspired by Richardo Levins Morales’ Liberation Calendar

05/10/2026

It's good to see a win!