What stands out to you about JONAH?
I moved to Eau Claire 3 years ago, and I was searching for an environmental organization home base to volunteer with–someplace that had an open heart, was evidence-based, ethical, community-oriented and strategic in their approach all while being fun, too!
How did you become involved in the Environmental Task Force?
I met Sue Waits when she “womanned” a JONAH ETF table at a fundraiser concert. We followed up with lunch and joined the ETF right away. When I learned that our City was considering bringing in a plastic water bottling company that would produce 1 billion water bottles a year filled with 10% of Eau Claire’s municipal water for Twin Cities residents with access to municipal water, I reached out to Sue and Lynn and voila! We were able to activate 1200 residents and push back this effort. I felt instantly at home in this partnership.
Why do you stay involved?
The conviction of Sue, Lynn, and others is so uplifting. It’s hard to feel overwhelmed when you are on their team. I love their one on one approach.
What does environmental justice mean to you?
Environmental activism isn’t just about protecting the natural world—it’s also about protecting people. Nowhere is this concept better illustrated than with the environmental justice movement. At its most basic level, environmental justice asserts that environmental issues and social justice are inextricably linked.
What is Environmental Justice?
Environmental justice is the idea that people of all cultures, races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses deserve fair protection from environmental and health hazards in addition to equal access to the decision-making processes surrounding environmental policies and development.
Historically marginalized groups of people are disproportionately affected by pollution, climate change, and other environmental dangers. We can’t separate the physical environment from the cultural environment; they are integrally involved. We need to make sure that justice is integrated in all the environmental work we do. I’ve been working on tree policies and recently learned about the “Tree Equity Score”, a national metric that assesses how well the eco-services of urban trees are reaching socio-economically disadvantaged communities. Scores such as this can help communities prioritize investments in areas with inadequate tree canopy, high heat, pollution, and other environmental hazards.
Where does your passion/energy come from?
When I get anxious and am feeling hopeless about the environment, there is nothing more uplifting than to bask in nature. It’s why we moved to beautiful Eau Claire.
What’s a meaningful interaction you’ve had with someone because of your work on the Environmental Task Force?
I love talking with folks on the JONAH Green Teams. As a retired public health researcher, I know the power that faith communities hold in multiplying forces for the good.
Image description: Woman smiling for a photo.