This week, the five co-chairs of the upcoming Community of Food, Society, and Justice Conference joined host Bella Isaacs to talk about what attendees can expect from that conference, which will take place on Friday, October 18 and feature keynote speaker Tracie McMillan, lunch prepared with produce from the campus farm, and four panels that will “explore the multiple definitions of soil, seeds, farmers, and food.” Those interested are also encouraged to attend a talk given by environmental artist Lauren Bon on Thursday, October 17 as part of the Penny Stamps Speaker Series. Click here to find the conference’s full schedule. Continue reading The Community of Food, Society, and Justice Conference
Tag Archives: Environmental Justice
Doris Duke Conservation Scholars
“Think twice before buying your feminist T-shirt from Forever 21.”
Samara Almonte and Jazlyn Marcos are with the University of Michigan’s Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program, a two-summer opportunity for undergraduate students who are “interested in conservation, nature, and the environment” and “looking for a space to have discussions about diversity and inclusion” as it pertains to those fields.
We the People
Each year, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, more than 13,000 Michigan residents return to their communities after being incarcerated. But when they get home, those residents often face a series of challenges as they navigate re-entering society as well as finding work and housing with a criminal record.
Environmental (In)Justice in Michigan
“One of the worst things you can do to a population is take away their ecology.”
– Oday Salim, quoted in Grist’s list of 50 “forward-thinking fixers” and sustainability leaders for 2018.
Professor Oday Salim is the director of the University of Michigan’s Environmental Law & Sustainability Clinic and he’s an attorney at the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center. (Those positions overlap.) Throughout his career, Salim has focused on environmental justice issues like water affordability, pollution control, improving non-native English speaker participation in state permitting processes, and more. Salim spoke with regular host Bella Isaacs about the issue of water affordability and accessibility in largely-minority communities, including water shutoffs in Detroit and a 1998 water infrastructure case in Lansing.
Something’s in the Water
Editor’s note: We faced some technical difficulties with this recording, but the sound will level out after 1:07. Thanks in advance for your patience.
Ann Arbor and its 72 sister municipalities form the Huron River Watershed, meaning that every drop of water that falls in these locations makes its way back to the river one way or another. We share this water not only with our families, friends and neighbors, but also with our governments, businesses, and manufacturers. In sharing a common resource like water—the essence of life—it makes sense to have a rule book that outlines permissible and non-negotiable actions as well as provisions to guide the course of action in the event of foul play. Michigan water quality standards fill this niche. However, as regular hosts Aurora Aparicio, Bella Isaacs, and Heena Singh learned this week from guest expert Laura Rubin, our rule book does not always keep pace with the discoveries of contemporary science.
Women’s March Follow-Up
In this episode of It’s Hot In Here, we catch up with some SNRE students who attended the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. a few weeks ago.
Hosts Malavika and Chris sat down with special guests Jillian and Emily to talk about attending the march, the aftermath of it, and how they want to keep the discussion going.
With topics including from environmental justice in the new administration, feminism, and what it means to be a part of a movement, this is a must-hear episode for anyone who considers themselves socially conscious.
We hope you enjoy this edition of It’s Hot in Here, and keep tuning in Fridays at noon on 88.3 WCBN-FM Ann Arbor!
Last Animals, Lasting Solutions for Conservation
This week on “It’s Hot in Here,” hosts Mike Burbidge, Claire Poelking, and Katie Browne continued with the second part of the Conservation Series with an in-depth discussion of ongoing efforts to curb poaching in Africa. Inspired by the visit of reknowned conservationist Craig Packer to the University of Michigan, we spoke with photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Kate Brooks about her first-hand experience at the epicenter of poaching, as well as with Drew Cronin, a researcher exploring how bushmeat off-take is affecting the abundance of primates in Equatorial Guinea. Continue reading Last Animals, Lasting Solutions for Conservation
Diversity Matters: The State of the Environmental Movement
This week, in honor of Martin Luther King Day, “It’s Hot in Here” brings you in-depth discussion of the state of diversity in the environmental movement and the University of Michigan. We kicked off the show with a brief review of the findings of the recently released report, “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations: Mainstream NGOs, Foundations, and Government Agencies,” spearheaded by Dr. Dorceta Taylor (SNRE) and the Green 2.0 Working Group.
Guests Beatriz Canas and Samantha Shattuck talk us through the implications of the report’s conclusion that, despite increasing racial diversity in the US, minorities remain underrepresented across the spectrum of environmental organizations. As a result, diversity tends to decrease as responsibility increases, with the “Green Insiders Club” remaining overwhelmingly white. Continue reading Diversity Matters: The State of the Environmental Movement
The Greening of Social Work
This week’s environmental news, views, and grooves bring hosts Rebecca Hardin and Emily Durand to the world of social work. Through their discussions with Dr. Lucy Lawrence, professor of social work at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC, our hosts delve deep into the environmental movements happening in the field.
Here is a little background on the field of social work: it seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through direct interaction. Also, individuals in this field strive to ensure social 
welfare and security for those affected by social disadvantages such as poverty or disabilities. This week’s show runner Emily Durand, pictured, has first hand experience in this area of study and the field of environmental justice.
City Limits to Climate Change: Climate Justice from neighborhoods to negotiations
Today’s show, the second in a three part climate change series, discusses climate justice in cities from Detroit to Paris, site of the upcoming United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change. In other news, the studio may just never have been this hot before; we were tempted to pour our water over our heads.
Continue reading City Limits to Climate Change: Climate Justice from neighborhoods to negotiations