Environmental Justice at Western

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…

Reflecting On Our Practices

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. Reflecting On Our Practices By: Skylar Tibbetts, Kate Brunell,…

Micro-plastics: The Smallest Biggest Problem In The Ocean

Micro-plastics: The Smallest Biggest Problem In The Ocean By: Ryland L. Hopkins Many chemicals and materials produced throughout the planet act as pollutants in the ocean. A vast majority of ocean-related issues portrayed by mass media are observable and easily tangible issues, such as: point-source discharge of wastewater, oil spills, pollution relating to the…

From Doom to Empowerment: Self- Help Tools to Help Us Navigate Disaster and Difference

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. From Doom to Empowerment: Self- Help Tools to Help…

Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition: Finding Justice in a Toxic Valley

Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition: Finding Justice in a Toxic Valley By: Liz Zimmerman BJ Cummings grew up with a deep connection to the Puget Sound. As a young child she regularly took trips from her home in New York to the PNW as a young child. Through years of studying environmental issues outside…

An Introduction to Climate Anxiety

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. An Introduction to Climate Anxiety By: Anna Thomas, Hailey…