environment
Linking Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge of Climate Change
This article is for conservation and environmental organizations and agencies who use “conservation science” to support their initiatives. This article in Bioscience journal urges the Western scientific community to broaden what is viewed as “science” to cover Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). As explained in the article, TEK can add great value, particularly to environmental and conservation issues affecting all peoples. Read more here.
DownloadEdward Abbey and Exclusionary Conservation on the Borderlands
This article outlines Edward Abbey’s stance on immigration and how it is directly related to an exclusionary conservation ethic. The article reminds us to think critically about the legacy of conservation and environmentalism, the stories that get told, and in particular, the stories that remain untold. Read here.
Toward a Wider View of “Nature Writing”
Catherine Buni gives an overview of how environmental literature has historically been dominated by whiteness, and then advocates for a broader understanding of environmental literature by introducing the voices of several authors and thinkers of color from the past and present. Read here.
Diversity and the Conservation Movement
Chandra Smith, Marcelo Bonta, and Tony DeFalco compiled a comprehensive report on the conservation movement in respect to diversity and inclusion. They provide an overview of the challenges, suggest best practices, and provide case studies for successful efforts. Read here.
DownloadVerde Paper: Latino Perspectives on Conservation Leadership
After 18 months of research, La Tierra Madre reports out on some common themes in the Latino conservation community and provides insights on successful Latino engagement in conservation, either within Latino communities or between mainstream conservation efforts and Latino communities. Access here.
A Path to Environmentalism
Black Girl Dangerous contributor, Jasmine Kumalah, succinctly and precisely discusses her own path to environmentalism, which includes understanding the complexity of human relationships to the environment and social hierarchies. Read here.
Are you an environmentalist or do you work for a living?
Richard White explores the tension between people who identify as environmentalists and outdoor recreationists with those who work in the same places (namely, loggers and miners). In this exploration, he unveils contradictions that lie within the American environmental consciousness. Read here.
Radical American Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation
Ramachandra Guha provides important perspectives on the concept of the Wilderness and deep ecology through what he calls a Third World critique. He argues that American environmentalism contributes to environmental degradation and social injustices.
Read here.
Diversifying Mainstream Environmental Groups Is Not Enough
In this article, Bob Bullard & Robert Garcia challenge environmental organizations to think bigger than just diversifying their own ranks, and to actually provide resources to the grassroots organizations who are bringing environmentalism to local communities of color. Some refer to Bullard’s work as “Green 3.0.” Read here.
DownloadThe Meaning of Wilderness Activity
This activity uses a reading to explore how dominant perceptions of wilderness can lead to exclusion. Though it is structured for facilitation during an outdoor experiential education trip, you can adapt it for use in any context in which your organization is grappling with wilderness and its various constructs.
DownloadTierra y Vida: Chicanos and the Environmental Justice Movement
José Gonzalez outlines important concepts and histories regarding Chicanos’ involvement in the environmental justice movement. He discusses environmental issues that have disproportionately impacted the Latino community and how the Chicano community has responded. Read here.
The Freeland Project
Fair warning: this is actually not free, but a great resource if you have the capacity to buy it. Ariel Luckey, a performance artist, puts on a one person show that describes his very personal journey to understanding how colonialism shaped the West and impacted his life as a white man. He investigates both historical land politics and current land politics in his home, the Bay Area. You can purchase the DVD of the performance and the curriculum guide.
Access here.