Reflection by Kat Yo and Diana Salgado Huicochea
As we finished our Environmental Justice tour in North Portland with the Portland Harbor Community Coalition, our last stop was our own University backyard, River Campus. Kat and I talked about our highs, lows, and buffalo (something that surprised us in the day).
Kat: High- Getting the chance to learn the history of North Portland while standing on the ground where it happened.
Low- Environmental issues are still impacting Portland communities, especially those who already experience a disproportionate amount of barriers in their daily lives.
Buffalo- It is happening in our own backyard.
Diana: High- Learning about the history of how distorted human values have impacted the environment as well as the intersectionality of the environmental crisis with the marginalized communities.
Low- Not knowing how humans can truly clean up the pollution done in the past without affecting the current ecosystem and vulnerable communities.
Buffalo- Having vegetarian chicken alfredo.
As students at the University of Portland we spend at least 4 years of our lives living there, not knowing the ecological degradation beneath us. Today we stood on the River Campus Beach, listening to the history of the Willamette River. Michael, Sarah, and Cassie, resident tour guides with the Portland Harbor Community Coalition, not only talked about the environmental impact of generations of human pollution, but the different methods and approaches to cleaning up the abandoned pollutants. One of these methods is called capping, a technique where concrete is placed over toxic soil to reduce human exposure. This method of restoration comprises river campus. While capping temporarily solves the degree of contact with pollution, it is important to know that the toxic pollutants remain beneath the brittle concrete. Any natural disaster (i.e. floods, earthquakes, oil explosions) threatens to re-expose the toxins. Another method is called consolidation, which entails placing all the polluted soil into a single contained area by the river. This solution still poses risks for the same reason capping is not a true solution to the issue. The third proposed strategy is called clean up. Although cleanup sounds appealing, executing this requires the clearing of native trees resulting in the destruction of the habitats within the ecosystem. Furthermore, the waste would still need to be transported elsewhere, raising additional risks.
As we finished the day with our group reflection, we discussed how we can translate our highs and lows into a deeper awareness and how we can take action to influence environmental change. We learned today that there is still hope and you can be a part of the call to action. We kindly ask you to check out this link HERE, which explains how we can contribute to the solution by voicing our ideas. Our first day of the Environmental Justice Immersion has led us to explore the rich history, justice, and environmental significance in a small area of Portland. We look forward to the next five days that will continue to expose us to new learnings. We are grateful to have shared this first day experience with our community, each other and with you.
In Gratitude,
Kat Yo and Diana Salgado Huicochea