Introduction:
This chapter introduces the idea that environmental justice and sustainability movements have been opposing forces in the past. The idea that sustainability ( along with buying organic, shopping local etc) has been the privilege of the morally minded middle class while environmental justice has been a struggle for proper provision of basic necessities (clean drinking water, non-toxic food supplies, etc). The idea is then introduced that sustainability can really only be achieved from a cooperation of these two forces.
Chapter 1:
This chapter provided a history of the environmental justice movement in relation to civil rights movements. Environmental justice as a bottom up grassroots movement, much like the civil rights movement, is at the opposite side of the top down approach of new environmentalism (which focuses more on preserving wildlife as opposed to the threat of toxics in an urban area as a result of environmental racism)

These first chapters provided an interesting history of the two movements which not many people think about. I was interested by how much thought is put into the definition of each particular issue because it illustrated just how important clarifying terms truly is.

I think that this book is an interesting read, my only criticism of this book is that it seems repetitive to someone who is already familiar with these concepts. It seems like everything I read about sustainability is not really new information, just further definition and clarification of what already makes sense. The interesting parts are the case studies because people make far greater strides in improving the principles and methods of sustainability when they try them out in the real, day to day world.

9/18 Assignment & comments

Hi Folks
Clarifying the assignment for 9/18
Read another chapter in Agyeman that fills in more theory OR more practical application/examples, as appropriate. And, if possible, check out some of the local & national resources in the sheets I gave you. Have your blog entry address in our usual format what comes up for you, and, if possible, link it to previous work (Greening/Urban Ecology, Systems strategies, and Tuesday’s focus on justice, sustainability, and neighborhood participation /citizen empowerment fit together very nicely) Our discussion leaders, Carlos and Melissa, will go further in leading our group discussion (you’re welcome to send in suggestions to them).
Highly Recommended, not required: what I handed out on Tuesday: Chapter 4 Greening the City from “Toward Sustainable Communities: Resources For Citizens and Their Governments”, by Mark Roseland (sorry about omitting book title on the handout). By the way, check the Course Resources link for a booklist of my favorite sources on Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Living, etc.
We will take time for sharing about behavior change journals, so be sure to keep moving forward steadily with your efforts and reflections on them, and to bring the journals to class. How might the justice focus affect your approach to social sustainability behaviors??
Theresa will share the case presentation she had ready this week, and hopefully Tania will share the urban ecology observations she didn’t get to do this week. Ron will send out a detailed revised schedule about the case presentations, nature in the city, and discussion leaders this week. We adjusted it to spread the presentations out more evenly, so check carefully to see if it works for you
Short project reports will also be in order. Make sure everyone in your team knows what he or she is doing next and how to be well connected and accountable to each other and your community contacts. If simply self-organizing isn’t clear enough, make sure you have a contact person/convener or rotating convenership, and a game plan for communicating and working together.
I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday.
Elan

Justice & Sustainability Resources

JUSTICE & SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES 9/11/07

From the Sustainable Tompkins Just Sustainability Initiative

LOCAL

People's Garden Project - Supports neighborhood food production in low-income areas.(First Baptized Church of Christ,1^st st., Northside) Jhakeem Haltom haltomj@gjr.tstboces.org

Urban Permaculture- Josh Dolan/Education programs and services. 280-5500 rainbowwarrior18474@yahoo.com

CSA Farms serving low-income families – e.g., Full Plate Farm Collective, http://www.fullplatefarms.org/, call Cooperative Extension-272-2292 for more

Ithaca Community Garden, Project Growing Hope, near Farmer's Market. Northside, www.lightlink.com/itgarden/ , Cally Arthur, carthur@twcny.rr.com

Greenstar Natural Food Coop- Making local foods more accessible, Liz Karabinakis 277-0080 x501

RIBS- Recycle Ithaca’s Bicycles - Bicycle re-use, access to quality bikes and maintenance skills regardless of identity or socioeconomic status. 530 W. Buffalo St. and Hwy 13N (Meadow St.) Thursdays 4-7, Saturdays 12-3 http://velonet.org/ribs/index.php 256-5355

Southern Tier Energy Smart- resource for making energy efficient homes more affordable. Gay Nicholson agn1@cornell.edu

Heating Solutions- Cooperative Extension- Ken Schlather - ks47@cornell.edu 272-2292

TC Solid Waste Management- Does sustainability education in many underserved communities- Linnet Short - 273-6632

Significant Elements - Non-profit building materials re-use outlet in the Southside. 212 Center St. & S.Plain Diane Cohn 277-3450 www.significantelements.org/significant_elem.htm

TC Workers' Center, 115 E. State Street, 269-0409 Pete Meyers

www.TCWorkersCenter.org Advocates for economic justice and community-based economic development on many key fronts, including a living wage for all.

Multicultural Resource Center- Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow St., Audrey Cooper 272-2292 Advocates for intercultural connection, understanding, and equity.

Race Liberation Alliance- Focuses on reversal of racism and the links to sustainable living and sustainable community. Liz Field ebauchne@twcny.rr.com 280-1960

Just Sustainability Initiative -Sustainable Tompkins- Links the justice and sustainability agendas and constituencies . Elan Shapiro, elansla@ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us 275-0249

S.T.A.M.P. Southern Tier Advocacy and Mitigation Project, Leslie Jones, including - Guerrilla Griots Human Rights Media Arts Center - Jason Corwin info@guerrilla-griots.org 277.2122 Make & show films by at-risk local youth that combine justice and sustainability themes.

Alternatives Federal Credit Union- AFCU- Economic development for underserved populations. Deirdre Silverman, deirdre@alternatives.org, 216-3416

A.C.E.- Allies for Community Empowerment- Promotes West Side Economic Development, esp. of minority businesses- Amy Somchanhmavong ayk3@cornell.edu 254-8072

NATIONAL JUST SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES

Projects and Organizations:

Bronx Center Project "Don't Move, Improve” NYC. Neighborhood-based sustainable development in a low-income area of the Bronx. www.unesco.org/most/usa1.htm and

http://www.sustainable .org/casestudies/newyork/NY_af_melrose.html

Sustainable South Bronx -SSB- NYC- A community-based organization created in 2001 to implement sustainable development projects for the South Bronx- www.ssbx.org/ Check out the work of Majora Carter, head of SSB

Reclaim the Future, Ella Bakker Center, Oakland.Ca.

“Our goal: Build a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty”.

http://ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=5

HS curriculum tools: http://ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=27&contentid=23

Urban Habitat Oakland, Ca. Builds bridges between environmentalists, social justice advocates, government leaders, and the business community, in areas such as environmental health, equitable development, leadership development, & transportation. http://urbanhabitat.org/

Urban Ecology San Francisco, Ca. Aims to create vibrant Bay Area neighborhoods by listening to communities, designing neighborhood plans, advocating change, and serving as an information resource www.urbanecology.org

People's Grocery, West Oakland. Develops a socially just and sustainable food system in W. Oakland through community-based, youth-focused and innovative social enterprises, urban agricultural projects, educational programs and public policy initiatives http://peoplesgrocery.org/mission.html

Fruitvale Transit-Oriented Village Transit-based development of a Hispanic and Asian community along the BART line in Oakland, Ca. http://www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/success/fruitvale_bart.shtml

ACE Alternatives for Community and Environment, Boston www.ace-ej.org

Bethel New Life Chicago Green economic/community development in inner city area. bethelnewlife.org www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/success/bethel_new.shtml

Shaw EcoVillage: Building Youth Leaders and Sustainable Communities, Wash., DC www.shawecovillage.com/

Green Institute Minneapolis www.greeninstitute.org

www.sustainable.org/casestudies/minnesota/MN_af_phillips.html

Growing Power, Milwaukee. Supports people from diverse backgrounds and the environment in which they live by helping to provide equal access to healthy, high-quality, safe and affordable food http://www.growingpower.org/

Growing Prospects Winnipeg, Manitoba. Provides individuals on income assistance with the skills they need to find full-time employment in the horticulture and greenhouse industries. www.growingprospects.org

Edens Lost & Found Media and Policy Center focused on grass roots movements and projects to restore American cities - resources include action guides, dvd’s , book, newsletter, etc. www.edenslostandfound.org

Liberation Ecology- Integrating social justice and sustainability, or “social and ecological health”- Rafter T. Sass, speaker/workshop leader/project designer, rafter@liberationecology.org 518-567-7407

Policy Link, Social & economic justice toolkit linked to “regional equity" and “equitable development” www.policylink.org

Institute for Public Policy Research- “Socially just environmental sustainability” http://www.ippr.org.uk/research/teams/?id=86&tid=86

Creating Community - Justice & Equity Resources http://www.sustainable.org/creating/justice.html

For many more relevant examples, see:

a) Sustainable Community Success stories

http://www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/overview/ovsstoc.shtml

Don't miss "Collections of Success Stories" at the end, and:

b) Sustainable Community Case Studies

http://www.sustainable.org/casestudies/studiesindex.html

c) Sustainable Community Best Practices www.bestpractices.org/bpbriefs/index.html

Justice & Sustainability : Magazines, Reports, & Articles:

Community Jobs in the Green Economy- Apollo Alliance/Urban Habitat

Report on equity and the emerging green economy. Available free from publications@apolloalliance.org also see www.apolloalliance.org

Green Collar Jobs for Urban America by Van Jones and Ben Wyskida

http://www.yesmagazine.com/article.asp?ID=1551

Two Crises, One Solution by Van Jones

http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1262

Other Van Jones articles: see www.ellabakercenter.org and Yes! magazine

www.google.com/u/yesmagazine?q=van+jones&sa.x=14&sa.y=9

Also, see 25 minute Van Jones video in video section below.

Solidarity Not Charity Interview with Shakoor Aljuwani on Hurricane Katrina

Rethinking Schools http://rethinkingschools.org/archive/21_01/soli211.shtml

Race, Poverty and the Environment - Environmental Justice and Sustainability magazine from Urban Habitat http://urbanhabitat.org/rpe/front

Where Justice & Sustainability Meet S. Y. Agyeman http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1076/is_6_47/ai_n14795803/pg_1

Justice, Sustainability and Democracy S. Y. Agyeman

www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1076/is_6_47/ai_n14795790

Does “Buying Local” hurt the poor? Creating Real Prosperity

by Frances Moore Lappé www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1548

=========================================

Books:

Sustainable Communities and the Challenge of Environmental Justice

J. Agyeman, NYU 2005

Edens Lost & Found: How Ordinary Citizens are Restoring Our Great American Cities, H. Wiland and D. Bell, Chelsea Green is the companion book to the PBS series. Richly illustrated, it chronicles the grass-roots movements to revitalize America's urban landscapes and communities. www.edenslostandfound.org The book is available online

========================================

Video/Film

Van Jones: A Light at the Crossroads: Bridging the Environmental and Social Justice Movements http://ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=29&contentid=26

Edens Lost & Found – PBS series (see book above) DVD’s available online www.edenslostandfound.org

Environmental Justice Videos http://www.ejrc.cau.edu/videoarch.html

Media Rights, EcoJustice films http://www.mediarights.org/issue/environmen

Bil Mckibbin at Cornell Wed 9/26 at 7

Author, Educator, and Environmentalist

Bill McKibben
"Building the Climate Movement"

Wed. September 26 David Call Auditorium Kennedy Hall
Cornell University
at 7PM

Free and open to the public.

Scott Perez
Natural Resources/American Indian Program
607-255-1055
sp287@cornell.edu

"It will be the stroke of midnight for the rest of our lives. It is too late for heroes. We need an accelerated intertwining of the over 1 million nonprofits and 100 million people who daily work for the preservation and restoration of life on earth.... The language of sustainability is about ideas that never end: growth without inequality, wealth without plunder, work without exploitation, a future without fear. A green movement fails unless there's a black-, brown-, and copper-colored movement, and that can only exist if the movement to change the world touches the needs and suffering of every single person on earth." -
Worldchanging.org 12/26/06

Chapter 4: Just Sustainability in Practice

In chapter 4, Just Sustainability in Practice, Agyeman presents the results of a survey that she conducted in order to analyze how committed various national environmental and sustainability organizations were to justice and equity. In order to conduct her survey, Agyeman created the Just Sustainability Index, which she used to quantify and then measure the extent to which selected organizations were incorporating justice and equity into their missions and agendas. According to Agyeman’s results, the national environmental and sustainability organizations that she surveyed were generally scoring very low, which suggests that many of our national environmental and sustainability organizations are not concerned with justice and equity. Agyeman then highlighted a number of organizations that exemplify just sustainability in practice. She organized these progressive organizations according to the major environmental issue that they were tackling. These categories included land-use planning, solid waste management, toxic chemical use, residential energy use, and transportation. Though a small minority, these few examples of organizations, practicing just sustainability provided a template for future work in this area. It proved that there is hope and that there is real work being done to further the cause.

The Green Institute in Minneapolis was particularly interesting, because it was created by a diverse and empowered group of citizens who exercised their right to take control of their neighborhood and community. By mobilizing the community, citizens were able to prevent unwanted development in their neighborhood, which proved to big businesses and developers that the needs of residents could not be ignored. The community activism in Minneapolis reflects the need for citizen participation in public policy concerning urban issues. As Professor Reardon makes the case in his article, it is becoming more and more necessary for city officials, developers, and public and private funders to collaborate with citizens when planning the future of cities. In general, these readings together stress the importance of good participatory planning and they demonstrate that when citizens get involved they can be successful advocates for preserving their cities.

After reading this chapter, I had a number of doubts about how comprehensive and how objective the data was that Agyeman collected for her survey. Agyeman failed to thoroughly explain how she selected which organizations were surveyed and how she created her Just Sustainability Index. In this chapter that information, though mentioned, was glossed over. Of course she could have explained these things earlier in the book, but from reading this chapter alone, I felt that there were a few unexplained elements of her survey. It seems that her dismal view of our national enviromental organizations could be a bit extreme. Furthermore, Agyeman did not explain in this chapter how she was defining just sustainabilty. Again, this could have been addressed earlier in her book, but from reading this chapter alone I felt that she failed to explain her expectations for how an organization practicing just sustainability should behave.

Intro and Chap 1--- Confusing arguments for an inappropriately generalized topic

Intro:

It seems as if environmental perspectives often clash with those that are sustainable. There is interestingly enough a difference in both geographical and historical origin of these perspectives. Agyeman seems to be most interested in how these both work together rather than their differences. At the root of environmental justice and sustainability there exists a grey spot where they collide “theoretically, conceptually and practically”. It is these similarities that must be focused on in order to achieve anything in these areas which is where the EJP and NEP come into play. These paradigms are the basis for JSP which is a progressive idea that helps span each perspective making the goals of Sustainable, Environmental Justice possible.

I think that the book goes about discussing these paradigms the wrong way as it builds barriers to the new minds that approach this field. Instead of labeling the perspectives as these confusing acronyms, Agyeman should have simplified it all and described what the goals of sustainability advocates and environmental justice advocates are. Each party has specified interest sets which do not necessarily coincide with the generalized perspective portrayed. The JSP sounds like the most viable solution, but is going to end up being like politics’ “Green” party which no one really knows what they stand for. Fence sitters can only last for so long concerning hot-headed issues like this one.

Chapter 1:

Environmental justice’s first official exhibit of protest was in Warren County, NC after the government wanted to dump toxic, PCB infested soil in towns with a large minority population. There was a large protest and many were jailed. This set a precedent for years after this happened in 1984 as EJ now constantly deals with situations such as this one. Now, governmental agencies are getting involved in a more scientific way by trying to map out EJ communities and prevent issues such as the Warren County problem.

I believe the way people, as portrayed by Agyeman, go about dealing with EJ is from too much of a macro perspective. In order to work with this it must be dealt from within. For an agency to try and target EJ areas is not the smallest of tasks, to begin with. Even if these areas could all be identified, they each would need to be dealt with differently. A more micro perspective would be a better way at going about this. If EJ could be seen as more of a grassroots movement, more support would definitely be given.

Agyeman- Introduction and Chapter 6

SUMMARY- Introductory Chapter

Agyeman begins by distinguishing the difference between environmental justice and sustainability. Environmental justice, he argues, focuses on “community reaction to external threats” (a bottom up approach) while sustainability deals with man’s relationship with the natural environment and his responsibility to take care of it (a top down approach). Although these two factions do not seemingly share the same values, Agyeman proposes that we bridge the gap between them and form a new paradigm which he calls the Just Sustainability Paradigm. Agyeman uses evidence from various countries to show that there is a direct correlation between a nation’s “commitment to equity and its “commitment to environmental quality” (5). Specifically, he says that nations can best combine sustainable policy with social awareness if different organizations within the nation come together, adopt the same attitude, and fight for the same cause.

MY THOUGHTS- Introductory Chapter

The Just Sustainability Paradigm (JSP) could definitely work if all of the players involved could agree on the same set of core values and goals. Unfortunately, individual interests (whether held by key leaders or even entire organizations) usually corrupt collaborative efforts like the JSP. If the JSP becomes a prominent paradigm, it will certainly gain attention from politicians and the political parties that they represent. At which point, the integrity of the JSP will more than likely be compromised. As we discuss the complexity of large scale environmental change, I grow increasingly convinced that progress is almost exclusively possible at the local level. Looking at the enormous task at hand, I tend to believe that policy makers and power players will never find a complete (or adequate) solution to the problem.

SUMMARY- Chapter 6

Coincidentally, Agyeman begins this chapter by questioning whether change is most effective at the local or national level. He does not necessarily answer this question, but he does claim (and justify) that coalitions can overcome their differences and work together for a common cause. He says that the JSP must adopt a specific standard and only accept partner organizations that fully agree to and support this standard. Under this system, individual interests will hold less weight than the collective goal.

MY THOUGHTS- Chapter 6

I have a completely different attitude about the information presented in Chapter 6 than I do the information presented in the Introduction. Specifically, I think that Agyeman makes a strong argument when he talks about the promises of environmental space as a means to achieve the goals of the JSP. If we were to zone, design, protect, and provide environmental space for disenfranchised members of society, we could move out of the realm of theory and into the zone of practicality. Although we may never change the corrupt systems that govern society, we can certainly introduce sustainable practices from the bottom up and enable individuals to fight against injustice.