Reflection by Molly Lowney and Trudi Timperman
This morning we met with Columbia Riverkeeper, an organization focused on the overall health of the Columbia River with the goal to maintain the wellbeing of the communities that depend on it. One point that was emphasized was viewing the river as a community member. By understanding the river as a living being and system, we can better understand its intersections in different areas of environmental justice. Through organizing, advocacy and litigation, Columbia Riverkeeper has been able to block several polluting fossil fuel industries from creating industrial areas along the banks of the river.
We also learned about how salmon run numbers have drastically fallen over the past years because of rising river temperatures, hazardous waste pollution and dams blocking traditional migration routes. Salmon are the livelihood of Columbia River communities and ecosystems. They provide a healthy source of protein for rural and indigenous communities and are also a source of income for fishing communities. From an ecological perspective, salmon are important species in the ecosystem and are a food source for both sea lions and southern resident orca whales.
Columbia Riverkeeper also works specifically with the Latino community on environmental justice issues and education. They have a radio show called Conoce tu Columbia where they speak in both English and Spanish about environmentalism in communities of color. Here is the final thought that Columbia Riverkeeper left with us: The earth is our mother and the rivers are her veins.
After finishing up with Columbia Riverkeeper, we hopped in the vans and headed down to Salem and the state of Oregon’s capitol building. Most of us had never been to the capitol building before, so we were filled with a sense of awe at the magnificence of the building itself. We immediately went inside to begin our meeting with Renew Oregon – a state-wide advocacy group campaigning to pass Senate Bill 1530 in the Senate. This bill (more commonly known as cap-and-trade or Clean Energy Jobs) would require large polluters in the state of Oregon to pay a tax if they exceed a certain carbon emissions limit. The money from this tax would then be reinvested back into the local economy to create jobs in the clean energy sector. This bill has been proposed in the Senate multiple times, and every time it has been met with harsh opposition. When we were at the capitol, the atmosphere was contentious because the Republicans had walked out, thus preventing the quorum necessary to vote on the bill. After Renew finished giving us the background on the bill and their campaign, we had the opportunity to meet with the state Senator for our district, Lew Frederick, who has been a large proponent for the bill and other environmental legislation. He immediately voiced his disappointment and frustration with the current situation. We asked him a couple of questions and by the end of our brief thirty-minute interaction, we were all incredibly inspired. He highlighted the importance of understanding an issue from both sides, which can only be achieved by including a diversity of perspectives. I think this was an important takeaway for us as individuals interested in environmental justice. As we have been learning from other organizations, it is easy to become blinded to certain aspects of the movement when we are only viewing it from a single perspective. By involving multiple voices, we can create a more robust story that actually addresses the root of the problem.
Finally, we asked Senator Frederick how he remains hopeful in today’s often discouraging political climate. He told us his story of growing up in the South as a young black man, being tear-gassed as an eight-year-old, and desegregating his high school in Atlanta, Georgia. Despite the hardships he has faced, he remains hopeful because he has seen the bad times get better. He urged us to never stop learning, and educate ourselves on as many topics as we can to become as well-rounded and informed as possible so that we may truly have a significant impact in ameliorating problems we care about.
We ended our day by joining a Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest (JVCNW) house for dinner. JVCNW is a service program centered around simple-living, community, spirituality, and environmental and social justice. The house we visited consisted of eight volunteers living together and working at various non-profits throughout Portland. Interestingly enough, one of the volunteers was our very own program manager’s little brother – Joe Wagner. The volunteers were all incredibly welcoming and eager to both share their experience with JVC and learn about our immersion so far. I was inspired by their commitment to simple-living, which went so far as rarely heating their house, not having wifi, and subsisting on a very limited stipend. This showed us what our lives might look like if we are one day forced to abide by stricter regulatory limits due to climate change. Overall, it was exciting to meet people our age so devoted to service.