Environmental Justice at the 2019 Sustainability Day

On September 12th, the Macalester Sustainability Office sponsored a Sustainability Day to engage students and staff with sustainability themes and share what resources the Office has to offer. Early in the day the Office hosted an EcoFair on the second floor of the Campus Center with sustainability related games, information on what the Office does, and chances to win sustainable prizes. Later in
the afternoon there was a SustainabiliTEA held in the Office on Lincoln Ave. At the open house tea and snacks were provided and students were encouraged to check out the Free Swap.

One highlight of the EcoFair was the environmental justice booth. Sustainability Office student workers encouraged their peers to consider the intersections between social justice and sustainability issues and write down on a white board their pledge moving forward to commit to social justice through sustainability. Each participant's photo was taken and their pledge added to a list of the different responses. Many students were excited to participate and came up with a variety of ideas, including bringing reusable bags to grocery shop, only using public transportation or biking, stopping Line 3, and reducing meat consumption. After contributing, students took home a succulent with a sticker reminding them of their pledge.

To continue the momentum from the EcoFair and carry the theme of environmental justice, the Sustainability Office will be hosting another SustainabiliTEA on Thursday, October 17th from 4-5pm for those who made a social justice pledge or just want to learn more about these issues. This tea will be centered around the intersection of social justice and sustainability, specifically in the Macalester College and Twin Cities communities. There will be tea, snacks, and group discussions on those themes!