Our January workshop was part II to a discussion we started in June 2020. We talked about environmental racism and justice, food justice, the events at the Capitol on January 6th, and ways we, as individuals, can get involved with helping to combat these inequities.
Our Partner
Learn more about Sanitation Foundation: sanitationfoundation.org, and follow them on Instagram, @sanitationfoundation.
Our Sponsors
Huge thanks to our Title Sponsor, Con Edison!
Read more about their vision for renewable energy here:
https://www.coned.com/en/our-energy-future/our-energy-vision
and their grants programs, here:
https://www.coned.com/en/community-affairs/partnerships/apply-for-a-grant
Thanks to Royal Waste Services for their sponsorship!
Learn more about their work here: https://royalwaste.com/
Click here to sign up for more information on Royal Waste’s services: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd1Kuf6rtuLwkBmQX9S_oMjTi93fiONJBocDt9fdW_Nb0H5SA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&gxids=7628
The Panelists
Arielle V King: Environmental Justice Advocate and Law Student
Learn more about her work: @ariellevking
Contact her: ariellevking@gmail.com
Raina Kennedy: Worker-owner of Brooklyn Packers
Learn more about their work: www.brooklynsupportedagriculture.com/
Follow them here: @brooklynpackers / @brooklynsupportedagriculture
Support them here: Venmo @BKLovesVeggies
Contact her: raina@brooklynpackers.com
Eric Stephens: Sanitation Worker
Learn more about DSNY’s work: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/about
Contact him: stephensconsullting@gmail.com
Janie Nesbitt: Administration Manager, Training Coordinator at DSNY
Connect with her: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janie-nesbitt-70809419a/
Recommended Reading & Listening:
Books
*Please support your local book shop and don’t order these from Amazon or another chain book seller! Or better yet, take it out from the library or borrow from a friend :). The links are to the author’s website or publisher. I’ve only included Amazon if that’s what the author linked to.
Clean and White: A History of Environmental Racism in the United States
Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility
There’s Something in the Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous & Black Communities
Noxious New York: The Racial Politics of Urban Health and Environmental Justice
Articles
Toxic Waste and Race Report: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1310/ML13109A339.pdf
EJ Principles: https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/ej-principles.pdf
LEED Certified waste facility, Spring Street Garage: https://www.sanitationfoundation.org/ohny
Waste Equity: https://www.nyc-eja.org/campaigns/solid-waste-transfer-stations/
What is Environmental Justice? http://greenaction.org/what-is-environmental-justice/
Wasted Opportunities: New York City’s Misplaced Budget Priorities Fail Marginalized Communities and Us All: https://www.gothamgazette.com/opinion/9686-wasted-opportunities-new-york-city-budget-fail-communities-environmental-justice
DSNY Strategic Plan, including SWMP: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/about/strategic-plan
A Look at Why Environmentalism is So Homogenius—And How Organizations Might Cultivate Genuine Diversity: https://ensia.com/features/environmental-workforce-diversity-systemic-racism/
Learn About Environmental Justice: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/learn-about-environmental-justice
The Links Between Racism and the Environment: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/05/climate/racism-climate-change-reading-list.html
Podcasts/Videos:
Living Downstream, NPR: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/655974992/living-downstream
For the Wild: https://forthewild.world/about-us
For the Movement: https://www.stitcher.com/show/for-the-movement
Episode: Making The Climate Movement Anti-Racist w/ Dr. Robert Bullard: https://climate2020podcast.com/episodes/episode-42
Everything Is Race: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/everything-race
Breathe Easy, a short story about the pollution problem in the South Bronx: https://vimeo.com/11327858
Organizations
NYC-EJA
WE ACT
GAIA
CJA
Soul Fire Farm
GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives)
Solid Waste Advisory Boards in each NYC borough
Advice from our panelists:
Janie:
Start by getting involved! Attend your local community town hall meeting, or tenants association meeting
Talk to others and find out what problems you can help with, and offer your services for.
Arielle:
Listen, be a support system. Don’t assume you know what it’s like to live through these experiences.
Read and do research! Find an important topic that you care about and dive into it.
“Going zero waste is a part of anti-racism work,” since waste transfer stations and their locations affect the BIPOC community in a big way
Raina:
Compost!
Find your local Mutual Aid group and see how you can get involved
Learn and listen
Sign up for a local food service or CSA like Brooklyn Supported Agriculture
Eric
Support local
Don’t just talk about the problem, contribute to the solution. Ask if you can volunteer your time to an organization if you can’t make a monetary donation.
Write letters to your local council members
Consider starting your own farm and sharing with neighbors!
Start a food co-op in your building
Zero Waste NYC Workshop and Sanitation Foundation:
Call your local council members in NYC, contact them on social media, write to their office. They work for us! And consider talking to council members who are currently running because they will probably be more open to working directly with you.
Support local, especially businesses run by BIPOC
Ask questions when you do research. Do not be afraid to ask establishments where they source their food or other materials. You have the RIGHT to know.
Order directly from local restaurants instead of through delivery apps
We hope to see you at a workshop soon! Follow us on Instagram @zerowastenycworkshop and sign up for a future workshop at: https://www.zerowastenyc.info/upcoming-