February 2007 E-news

What is Environmental Justice?!

Many of us are fairly familiar with the term “environmentalism” (think endangered species, deforestation, and pollution) as well as “social justice,”(think civil rights, labour unions and poverty) but have you ever thought about how these two movements fit together?

Adrienne Maree Brown has!She is a writer, singer, activist and organizer and had this to say: “Overall, too many young people see the struggles of humans as separate from the struggles for a healthy environment.
And unfortunately, the environmental movement has actually helped enforce that disconnect by seeming to draw divisions between the natural world and its human inhabitants -- and by seeming to worry more about the former than the latter. If you work on environmental issues, chances are you don't know me. I represent the other other side. The one outside the greenhouse. I'm young, I'm colored, I'm female, I'm urban -- and environmentalism isn't reaching me like it needs to.”

For a long time the two movements have been seen as separate, but we want to bring them together, and when would be better than this month? February has been celebrated as “Black History Month” since the late 1920’s to recognize the struggles, triumphs and contributions of people of colour in America. Slavery existed in Canada as well from 1628 to 1793, with the repercussions of segregation and racism existing to this day, but Black History Month wasn’t officially recognized in Canada until 1995!

What does this all have to do with youth environmental stewardship in Canada you ask? Two simple words: Environmental Justice. It’s a movement that seeks to expose "environmental racism”--racial discrimination in environmental policymaking and the enforcement of environmental protection laws and regulations.” According to Robert Bullard, one of the founding American activists and scholars of this 20 year-old movement, environmental justice is about “trying to address power imbalances, lack of political enfranchisement, and to redirect resources so that we can create healthy, liveable and sustainable communities.”

Bullard noticed that the people who often plan and benefit from human settlement and industrial development are not those who have to bear the biggest environmental costs of these policies. He found that hazardous waste incinerators, toxic dump sites, dams, power plants and other threats to the environment are often located in low income, black communities, and never in middle or upper class white communities. Due to entrenched racial and economic discrimination, poor black communities do not often have the political clout to keep such sources of pollution and contamination out of their communities, nor the money to move away if one was built in their neighbourhood.

In an interview, Robert Bullard said, “environmental justice incorporates the idea that we are just as much concerned about wetlands, birds and wilderness areas, but we're also concerned with urban habitats. We have had to struggle to get these issues on the radar on a lot of the large environmental groups.”

Adrienne Maree Brown agrees: “That is the context for the next stage of environmentalism. You have an oppressed, depressed, furious mass waiting to be mobilized. And sure, some of us eat at McDonald's and wear leather shoes -- but we feel it is possible to demand better from our government and from ourselves for our environment. We feel it is imperative to connect the different survival struggles we are engaged in if we truly hope to sustain a viable movement for change.”

So, what can I do for environmental justice?
We need to work hard to be inclusive and diverse, regardless of our age, ethnicity, gender, religion or wealth, or we’ll miss out on important issues and the support of whole groups of potential allies, volunteers, voters, and donors. Children, the poor, the elderly, First Nations, immigrants, people of colour and of course non-human species often have less of a voice and/or increased vulnerability to environmental problems. Next time you want to take on a new project or campaign, ask yourself: who is probably impacted by this issue, but seems silent? How can I work with them to reach more people and create more change? If we really want to be the change, we need to stop repeating the mistakes of the past and dream of something different!

After all, as in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Lights Out Canada

Lights Out Canada was started by students in Parksville, on Vancouver Island, B.C. It’s a great idea to have schools across the country actively doing something to help learn about climate change – and it’s not a huge task because they’ve put together the step-by-step guides to start your school up.

Their goals are to:

• educate students and teachers about the dangers of climate change.
• show how easy it is to help turn off global warming with the flick of a switch.
• encourage schools to be aware of environmentally unfriendly practices, and revise them.

Last year, they started an incredibly successful pilot project with five schools on Vancouver Island, and this year they want schools across Canada to get involved.

When
The final date is yet to be set, but it will probably be around Earth Day this year. Leading up to the date though, your school can start up things like:

• Lights Out Day each week
• Recycling programs
• Making idle-free zones

How to Get Involved and Find out More

1. Sign your school up on the Contact page of their website
2. Download the concept page, lesson plan and step-by-step instructions for teachers, students and administrators from the Resource page of the Lights Out Canada website.
3. Tell your friends about the idea, and get your leadership class, student council, or other interested folks involved. Use the resources above for ideas on how to involve people and get them excited about the project.
4. Keep in touch with the Lights Out Canada folks to let them know what you’re up to in your school and to ask them any questions you might have. Email them at lightsoutcanada@gmail.com.

Forests Forever Website

Forests Forever Website by Keshia (from the YSC)
This month I took a look at Forests Forever – a beautiful website that is very informative and has breathtaking pictures brought to you by Fujifilm. Their ultimate goal is to “preserve the irreplaceable”. This website takes you all around the world looking at our precious forests giving you details such as the location, the forest area, some of the different kinds of trees you might find there, and problems that are occurring. They also give you the option of buying “forest gifts” right off of the website.

I really like this website for many reasons. Firstly because of the technological advances they feature on their website. Everything runs very smoothly and all of the links work. Secondly, the graphics are astonishing. The beauty that lies silently around us is truly hair-raising. And finally because it is very informative. Forests Forever has combined the sights with the facts. You can get all the details about any forest around the world. I highly recommend this website to anyone. It is beyond doubt the most beautiful website you will ever see.

www.forests-forever.com

Midnight Bike Rides & More

BEST (Better Environmentally Sound Transportation) in Vancouver has a slew of good stuff coming up for all you bike freaks (and even for anyone who just thinks bikes are okay?). Join in on the:

• Monthly Critical Mass bike ride – get as many people as possible out to enjoy the simplicity of cycling on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month.
• Basic Bike Repair Workshop – on the 1st Thursday of every month. Offered by PEDAL (Pedal Energy Development Alternatives), covering drivetrain maintenance, brake and gear adjustment, and flat tire repair. Courses are $40 + tax.
• Vancouver Bike Show – Feb. 17th & 18th at BC Place Stadium. Make sure to check out the bike and gear swap.

For more info on these and other events, check out the BEST calendar here.

Running Wild! Outdoor Runs

Running Wild! is a tons of fun outdoor event for people of all ages, run by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) folks in Southern Alberta. You can walk or run either 5 or 10 km in the beautiful Fish Creek Provincial Park, knowing that you’re helping out the environment and great programs happening in Southern Alberta while you’re there.

How to participate
Sign up for the run, and collect pledges as a way to fundraise for the run. You can win great prizes just by encouraging people to support the event. Your pledges go straight to supporting CPAWS’ conservation work and education programs in the area, and there will be education stations on display for people to learn more about the problems facing Alberta’s wilderness (and some excellent solutions too).

When is it?
Sunday May 14th, at 10 am
For more info, check out their website.

Roots & Shoots Youth for Action Workshops

Roots & Shoots is the Jane Goodall Institute’s environmental and education program – they bring all the amazing stuff that the Institute is working on out to the public and bring youth of all ages together to work in their home communities.

The whole idea around the Youth For Action workshops is to bring youth together, to explore issues, find opportunities for mentorship and inspire ACTION. So if you’re from 13-18 years old and live in Toronto, this is an amazing opportunity you won’t want to miss. And it’s FREE (and that includes lunch).

When? Friday Feb. 16 from 9:15 to 3:30
Where Masaryk-Cowan Community Resource Centre 220 Cowan Avenue, Toronto

What Will Be Happening?

• Bio-Hunt. The search for hidden life in Toronto - Examine the health of our air and water.
• Media Literacy/Ad-busting. Reclaim the media and use it as a tool for change.
• uTOpia: Design Your Own Toronto. Design the Toronto you would like to live in.
• Green Activism. Work towards a healthier, more sustainable and just future.

How To Register?
Contact Monique at (416) 588-4974, or email krista@janegoodall.ca.

To learn about this and other Roots and Shoots events, check out their calendar page.

Eco-Hero Award Deadline

Action For Nature is accepting applications for the 2007 International Young Eco-Hero Award right now. Applicants must be at least 8 years old and no more than 16 years old as of Feb. 28, 2007. Projects must concern environmental advocacy, environmental health, research or protection of the natural world, and must have happened in the last year.

Meet some incredible youth by checking out who won the award last year. Last year’s fourteen Eco-Heroes are all up on the website.

How to apply?
Guidelines and applications are available on their website or you can email awards@actionfornature.org.

Embracing Global Citizenship Conference

The main theme of the conference is Global Citizenship. If you’re looking for ways to help youth let down their boundaries and live as citizens of the world, this conference will be a great experience. Topics will include development, international affairs, and cultural diversity, and ways that youth have an impact in the world. It’s put together by CHANCE (formerly known as the Global University Partnership), an idea to seeks to make change and make the world a better place through university students worldwide. Check out more about CHANCE by clicking here.

Events
There will be key note speakers, workshops, panel discussions, cultural shows, an international fashion show, a networking/NGO fair and a Global Village Potluck, along with social outings in the evenings!

If you are interested in international development, international affairs, youth leadership and cultural diversity, then this conference is a great way to get involved and meet other like-minded individuals!

Where and When
At Hart House, at the University of Toronto from Friday February 11th to Sunday February 13th.

How to Register
Contact Pauline Ngomba at chance.uoft@utoronto.ca.

There’s more info about the conference here too.

Taking IT Global Alberta Mural Painting

On February 10 and 11 (Saturday and Sunday) Canada World Youth and Taking IT Global are planning on hosting eight groups of youth to paint eight different murals, in partnership with the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation and Change for Children. A local artist had provided a space and supplies to create eight different murals about the eight Millienium Development Goals (MDGs), and you’ll paint one mural for each goal.

They are looking for groups of 3-5 high school aged youth who are interested in volunteering for these two days to create these murals. The youth do not need to be experienced painters, just willing to put in the work to make these murals. There will be a number of local artists to help the youth.

The murals the youth paint will be used as a poster series by Change for Children and a card series by the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation. They will also be featured nationally on the Taking IT Global website all in an effort to achieve and raise awareness about the MDGs.

If you have any questions, email Gus at ab@clc.takingitglobal.org or call at (780) 717 6864.

For more information, check out the websites at http://projects.takingitglobal.org/clccanada.