AS Environmental Center

The recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor have brought to public attention the gross societal mistreatment of our black community members—a fact that is not new, but that many of us have had the privilege to ignore. Concurrently, the disproportionate number of black Americans affected by COVID has brought to light the inequity in our housing, economic, and health care policies. Such data calls to mind the environmental racism illuminated in places like Flint, Michigan, and the numerous black communities disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental toxins. All of these events are mere canaries in the coalmine of American’s broken system, and those of us with the privilege to turn a blind eye to the collective failing of our society must now take a moment (and another moment, and then another, and another, until forever) to acknowledge our own contributions to the anti-black sentiments that plague our society.

Here at the ESP, we’d like to acknowledge the fact that our office has failed our black students, time and time again. The environmental movement has repeatedly co-opted the achievements of black activists, minimized the overwhelming intersections between social justice and environmental justice, and served the interests of white, upper class folks while ignoring the concerns of black communities. The ESP is no exception. We would like to apologize to our black students for not serving your needs, for excluding you in our events, activism, and portrayal of environmentalism, and for ignoring your requests for better representation and allyship.

At this time, we to promise to work harder to uphold the “social justice” pillar of environmentalism. We also recognize that dividing environmentalism into different “pillars” or sectors is, in itself, problematic—our vision of sustainability should be more wholistic. A conversation about sustainability should always be a conversation about social justice, too. We recognize our failure to approach sustainability from a wholistic and inclusive place, and promise to do better in the future.

We promise to examine our hiring practices and to hold our non-black staff accountable for educating themselves in black history, black history within the environmental movement, the exclusive history of environmental movement, and the intersections between social movements—specifically the environmental movement and the social justice movement. We promise to ensure that the ESP and its events and programming serve the needs of black students. We promise to uplift the voices of black students, to hold our staff accountable, and to call out injustice when we see it. We recognize our responsibility to promote equity in our campus community, and the environmental movement as a whole.

Today at noon! Bring a lunch and see you there. All participants will be entered to win a $35 gift card for a zero waste kit from zerowasteshop.com!

Topic: Webinar-Daily Actions for Global Change
Time: May 19, 2020 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86163129362?pwd=Zk95d2ZtQThmNzVlNHkxODQrdzVSQT09

Meeting ID: 861 6312 9362
Password: 4nhGqq

Call for art! We're teaming up with AS Productions to host a virtual environmental art show on Insgram for Earth Day! If you're using this time to exercise your creativity, let us showcase some of that talent. Message us here or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wwuesp/ with your submissions 💚

Work should be one of the following:
-about environmental issues
-made of recycled or repurposed material
-made of natural or found material
-ephemeral (not meant to last)
-speaks to environmentalism

Send a DM with work or tag and in stories and posts!

Swing by the top floor of Fairhaven college tomorrow, Tuesday 3/24, from 7am-7pm for a pop-up food pantry! We have an abundance of bananas (perfect for banana bread), pizza dough, sourdough bread, potatoes, pasta, and pancake mix!
Please make sure to maintain social distancing, wear gloves if possible, wash your hands, and wash the food you get once you return home!
Please come get some goodies!

Bummed about a cancelled spring break trip? Check out Google Earth! It offers tours of 31 U.S. National Parks. Try it out here.
Have you been to any of these in person?

National Parks of the United States Travel across the country to explore 31 national parks, and see why the parks truly are "America's best idea."

I hope everyone is hanging in there and taking some time to rest, engage in self-care, and keep love and positivity flowing.
We're brainstorming ways to help the Western community stay occupied mentally and physically during the COVID-19 crisis. Some thoughts include virtual book clubs and podcast discussions, an educational series on at-home container gardening, and some online cooking demos with sustainable and available ingredients.

Please feel free to send us suggestions or questions! We're hoping to get creative with community building during this time, it feels more important than ever!

Hi! We're so stoked to host this event with the WWU Outdoor Center tomorrow evening. Come enjoy a break from midterm stress with this awesome documentary about the first African American team of mountaineers helping to close the adventure gap by summiting Denali.

https://www.facebook.com/events/193969648665321/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmG17Az7vWw

AN AMERICAN ASCENT Trailer (Documentary) An American Ascent documents the first African American expedition to tackle Denali aka Mt. McKinley, North America’s highest peak. ★ Join us on Facebook ►ht...

Do you or someone you know make art about, for, or with the environment? We're teaming up with AS Productions for an Earth Day Art Show, and we're looking for work! Follow the link below to submit your art!

Western Involvement Network - Earth Day Exhibition Application