I’m displeased. I woke up at 7AM this morning, ready to start the day off right, but was unable to do that because I looked out my window to the sight of several inches of snowy sorrow.
The snowfall is expected to peter out around noon. It’s still unclear whether we will be getting enough snow to do this or this:
“At the end of each week, ask yourself: ‘Have I done this much this week as I did during the week of January 20th?'” – Chris Murphy
Last Thursday, February 2, at midnight, I got an email saying that U.S. Senator from Connecticut Chris Murphy was coming to hold a meeting on environmental policy on the morning of Saturday, February 4 and that there weren’t that many seats left at this late stage. The town hall was sponsored by the College of the Environment and the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life. The senator, notable for his Twitter takedowns of Donald Trump, took many questions on everything from general political engagement in these fiery times, to specific measures on the preservation of federal lands, and the precarious nature of environmental data in the Trump administration. He also answered a question on whether he would be considering a Presidential bid for 2020. Read past the jump for more on the town hall:
Gabby Resnick ’18 writes in:
hey hey hey!
did you go to the UOC open house and want to learn more about our group? were you curious about the sit-in we held last semester? do you know absolutely nothing about our group but are intrigued by the name?
come one, come all! wesleyan fossil fuel divest is holding our very first meeting (!!!! we’re so freaking excited !!!!) this wednesday at 9:00 in the UOC. we will be going over who we are, what we’re about and what’s in store for the semester. plus, it’ll be FUN!
we want to stress that you don’t need to come in with any knowledge about divestment or climate justice, but if you are super informed, that’s awesome too.
hope to see y’all there! xoxo
Date: Wednesday, September 16
Time: 9-10 PM
Place: University Organizing Center (UOC)
From Amanda Farman ’17:
Come to the Earth House Art Show! This exhibition features student work about the environment and environmentalism, from representations of the earth itself to activism, climate change-related disaster, industry and more. Includes photography, painting, printmaking, mixed media, and digital art.
Featured artists: Janika Oza, Lucy Salwen, Ari Ebstein, Genna DeGroot, Kai Blatt, Kate Weiner, Rhys Langston Podell, Amanda Lea Farman, Mira Klein, Heather Whittemore, Shirley Fang
Also featuring performances by: Birchbark (Nyanen Deng and Noah Mertz) and Lily Myers
BYOB – bring your own bottle – for juices and water!
Date: Saturday, April 25
Time: 1-5 PM
Place: Earth House
Climate Mobilization Rally in San Diego IRL!
It’s Decade Zero for climate change.
We’re the first generation to feel the impact of climate change, and the last generation that can do something about it.
To change everything, we need everyone.
In the past year, the American climate movement has made huge strides. But is it accelerating quickly enough? And what is it building toward?
Our climate crisis is now so dire that it’ll take nothing less than a WWII-scale national mobilization to transition the U.S. to a 100% clean energy economy and adapt to unavoidable disruptions. If we’re serious about securing civilization within our lifetimes (…as we should be!), this is Decade Zero to get it started.
So how do we reach the point when what’s actually necessary becomes politically possible?
Join Ezra Silk ’10 and Ashik Siddique ’10, co-founders of The Climate Mobilization, for a talk about a new national social movement strategy against the challenges ahead.
Snacks and refreshments will be served!
Check out theclimatemobilization.org
Date: Saturday, April 4
Time: 1 PM
Place: PAC 002
FB Event.
Disclaimer: The writer of this post is not affiliated with Wes, Divest! The opinions expressed in this post are hir own.
On Friday evening, about forty students gathered in the Exley lobby for a vigil in conjunction with Global Divestment Day, a worldwide event aimed at drawing attention to the destructive nature of the fossil fuel industry. Following other events related to Global Divestment Day, including a banner drop at Usdan and a Climate Shabbat at the Bayit, the vigil, hosted by Wes, Divest!, was held not as a political statement again fossil fuels, but to commemorate the many victims of climate change.
The lovely Isabel Stern ’14:
Come join us at the…
Climate Justice Conference of SolutionsWesleyan University, April 12th, 2014
WHY: Much of the conversation around climate change is dominated by the narrative of “doom-and-gloom.” We believe it is time to focus on solutions in order to move towards climate justice. The focus on the right kinds of solutions from a myriad of perspectives can help put us on the path towards a better future. Rather than continuing to talk about the forms of energy, societies, or policies we don’t want, this will be an opportunity to foster dialogues about the better future we envision.
Much more info after the jump!
From Aly Raboff ’16:
This Thursday (tomorrow) Climate Ambassadors is putting on a film screening of the outspoken documentary Greedy Lying Bastards.
It’s a film about the “stalled efforts to tackle climate change despite the consensus in the scientific community that it is not only a reality but also a growing problem that is placing us on the brink of disaster.” The film looks at how big industry (especially Koch bros) has created a “campaign of lies” to oppose the reality of climate change.
for more info on the film, check out the website: http://greedylyingbastards.com/
The screening will be from 7-9 in Downey 113 this Thursday, come check it out!
~**There will be snacks**~
Date: TODAY! Thursday, November 21, 2013
Time: 7 – 9 PM
Place:Downey 113
Cost: FREE FREE FREE
Facebook Event
A presentation over at Middlesex Community College on how technological barriers are not what is standing in the way of a just, sustainable planet. Here how we can get there with a presentation by Stanford Professor Mark Jacobsen and Jeremy Brecher. Dan Fischer ’12 writes in with the details:
As the strongest typhoon on record kills thousands in the Philippines fossil fuel use continues to alter earth’s climate, producing ever more extreme weather. The extraction of fuel itself is wreaking ever greater havoc, and the ongoing disaster at Fukushima warns the world about the dangers of nuclear power. However, new studies show that there is no technical barrier to transitioning the entire planet to 100% renewable energy within a very short time frame. (meaning energy produced by wind, sun, water, and geothermal sources) Furthermore, this transition would create more jobs than expanding the fossil-fuel system, and it would save money, too.
These facts overturn central myths that are used to undercut and derail the climate justice movement. If we are to succeed in transitioning from a fossil-fuel dependent society these realities must become common knowledge, beginning with the movement itself.
Maya McDonnell ’16 invites you to a film screening:
The world faces accelerated climate catastrophe. If the fossil fuel industry has the most to gain – the youth have the most to lose.
But as the fossil fuel industry profits, students nationwide are taking on the fossil fuel industry head on. Based in Amherst, Massachusetts, Students & Goliath follows the divestment campaigns of five schools: Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mt. Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts. Eight students lockdown and are arrested inside an energy company’s office to protest a devastating pipeline proposal. 40,000 gather in Washington, DC to demand action. Students & Goliath is the story of a generation waking up, becoming empowered, and taking the climate crisis into their own hands.Come watch the film, meet the director Alex Leff, and join Wes, Divest for a discussion about the fossil fuel divestment movement!
Date: Saturday, November 9
Time: 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Place: PAC 002
