Environmental Justice at Western

Environmental Justice in the News

Every week, students in ENVS 467/567 (Power, Privilege, and the Environment) discuss news pieces that touch on some aspect of social and environmental justice. Here are some of the articles and podcasts that we’ve been discussing (blurbs written by students in Spring 2021 ENVS 467/567 class): In Klamath Water Illegally Diverted to Farmers (High Country…

What You Can Do to Prevent Toxic Exposure

By Rachel Jilek, Sam Goetze, and Kay McDowell. Each quarter, a group of students, faculty, and staff at WWU join together to read and discuss recent environmental justice texts. In Spring 2021, the group is reading Harriet A. Washington’s A Terrible Thing to Waste. This post reflects and extends our discussion. After extensive analysis of…

Re-framing Intelligence

By Jade Weston, Mia Lumbley, and Marie Ytell Each quarter, a group of students, faculty, and staff at WWU convene an environmental justice reading group to read and discuss recent texts. .In Spring 2021, the group is reading Harriet A. Washington’s A Terrible Thing to Waste. This post reflects and extends our discussion. Harriet Washington’s…

Environmental Justice in the News

Every week, students in ENVS 467/567 (Power, Privilege, and the Environment) discuss news pieces that touch on some aspect of social and environmental justice. Here are some of the articles and podcasts that we’ve been discussing (blurbs written by students in Spring 2021 ENVS 467/567 class): In a time when prison abolition and prisoner justice…

Racist Intent, Life-long Damage, Socioeconomic and Behavioral Control Through Lead Poisoning and Pollution

By Sarah, Nika, and Ruby Each quarter, a group of students, faculty, and staff at WWU convene an environmental justice reading group to read and discuss recent texts. .In Spring 2021, the group is reading Harriet A. Washington’s A Terrible Thing to Waste. This post reflects and extends our discussion. This week, our group facilitated…

Environmental Justice in the News

(Image: Nevada Lithium mine, Source) Every week, students in ENVS 467/567 (Power, Privilege, and the Environment) discuss news pieces that touch on some aspect of social and environmental justice. Here are some of the articles and podcasts that we’ve been discussing (blurbs written by students in Spring 2021 ENVS 467/567 class): Nevada Lithium Mine…

Breaking the Ice using Mushrooms

Breaking the Ice using Mushrooms By: Adele Delignette, Ea Kirkland-Woodward, Sarah Quenemoen COVID-19 and the resulting Zoom University has resulted in a noticeable, and somewhat unmanageable, lack of connection. Every day is more or less the same, with an insurmountable chasm in the realm of social relationship development. Face to face conversations with…

Learning from BLM to Dismantle White Environmentalism in Bellingham

Learning from BLM to Dismantle White Environmentalism in Bellingham By: Franny McLarty & Karey Sharp This week we had the class listen to “Black Lives Matter and the Climate”, an episode of the How to Save a Planet Podcast by Alex Blumberg and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. The episode explores the lessons that…

What’s In Your Water?

What’s in Your Water? By: Amy Moe Toxicogenomics do not make for very sexy discussions, but during a time in which people spend tens of thousands of dollars to carry a child to term, understanding the story of where your water came from can change your life. My brother works at a landscaping supply…

Self-Care During Civil Unrest

Each quarter, a group of students, faculty, and staff at WWU convene an environmental justice reading group to read and discuss recent texts. In Fall 2020 the group read Sarah Jaquette Ray’s A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety. This post reflects and extends our discussion. Self-Care During Civil Unrest By: Chloe Brush and Jacob…