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Women's Environmental Network presentation held by Kate Metcalf
- 1. 25 Years of Ecofeminism in Action!
- 2. “WEN’s mission is to make the connections between women’s health and well-being and environmental issues. We want to inspire women to make environmentally informed choices about their health. WEN aims to empower women to become agents of change in their families, networks and society and to participate equally in an environmentally sustainable future. “
- 3. Feminism and Ecofeminism • WEN’s vision is of an environmentally sustainable world in which we have achieved gender equality. • Feminism and environmentalism go hand in hand • Feminism asks the right questions about power and oppression and the links between the personal and the political
- 4. WEN’s Work Campaigning • Gender and Climate Change • Primary Prevention of Breast Cancer • Bleaching of nappies and sanitary items • GM Workshops and resources • Chemicals in cosmetics • Re-usable menstrual products • Real Nappies • Food growing
- 5. Gender and Climate Change work • Women’s Manifesto on Climate Change (2007) with the WI • Gender and the Climate Change Agenda (2010) • Why Women and Climate Change • Why Women and the Environment (2005)
- 7. Local Food Project: Why food growing? Climate Change - Local food reduces food miles-> CO2 - Organic food growing doesn’t rely on pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers- all derived from fossil fuels Community cohesion - Food brings people together across language, age and cultural barriers Greening the city -Increasing biodiversity - Improving access to good quality green space -City grows more of its own food and therefore reduces pressure on rural environments Health and wellbeing -Physical health: being active and eating fresh and organic food -Mental health/wellbeing: connection with nature, other people Revaluing traditional skills - Many people have the knowledge and skills to grow their own food (especially women) but these skills are routinely devalued in the mainstream economy and urban environments Access to healthy food - Cheaper than buying organic food Gender - Working with BAME women - Non-controversial engagement - Combating social exclusion -- Covert feminist approach
- 8. • Introductory, free, participatory organic food growing training • Mostly BAME women in Tower Hamlets and Hackney • Facilitates a ‘safe space’ for peer-to-peer learning and sharing
- 10. • 1,400 members, including individuals, community groups, community gardens, Housing Associations, Council representatives, Public Health representatives • 4 Seasonal Gatherings a year- workshops, stalls, talks, free lunch, Community Seed Library and tour of a local community garden • Resource Directory- where to access compost, tools, seeds etc. • Tower Hamlets Community Seed Library • Regular e-newsletters about food growing events, training and opportunities in the borough and beyond
- 13. • Preserves rare or traditional varieties • Pool of non-native seeds, preserving cultural heritage of migrant communities • Preserves genetic variety • Communal resource • Catalyst for discussions and action on seed issues e.g. GM
- 14. ‘Gardens for Life’ • TH Public Health commissioned project to create 15 new community gardens • We worked in partnership with 3 Registered Providers (housing associations) Eastend Homes, Poplar Harca and Tower Hamlets Community Housing • Mixture of communal gardens and individual plots
- 15. ‘Gardens for Life’ • Housing estates • Community centres • Hostels • Cubitt Town Library • Mulberry Girls’ School
- 16. Impact • Funded from a health and wellbeing perspective • Can have a big impact on food bills and access to healthy food- Mr Islam didn’t buy any vegetables for 3 months • Rejuvenates derelict or neglected land
- 17. Ongoing support to community gardens • Free advice, gardening training and regular support to community gardens throughout Tower Hamlets • Community centres, mental health centres, hostels
- 18. What’s next? Environmenstrual project • Workshops with women and girls on healthy and re- usable alternatives Therapeutic horticulture - Women’s refuges- ‘Soil Sisters’ - City farms Sustainable Fashion project
- 19. Our vision is of an environmentally sustainable world in which we have achieved gender equality Join us! Become a WEN member! http://www.wen.org.uk/support-wen/join-online/ WEN FILM
Editor's Notes
- Cuts through race, class and ethnicity. Personal and political equally important for environmental issues – what you do at home has an impact. If we want to achieve environmentally sustainable world then we need to question and challenge existing power structures preventing this. Current economic system antithetical to achieving this. Naomi Klein says it’s Capitalism v Climate. Patriarchal capitalist system devalues both nature and women. We need to involve women equally in solutions to CC. More women at the top level policy-making + inclusive grassroots movements to educate and empower women. Working for environmental justice through feminist principles
- We have brought a gendered analysis to environmental debates such as climate change, where a gender-blind focus has been the norm, but also broadened the scope of what is considered an environmental issue. – menstruation, stress incontinence, food growing Breast cancer as environmental disease. Pushed for precautionary chemical regulation. 1990s – pesticides used in cocoa end up in chocolate. Lindane – linked to misscarriage. Produced accessible briefings: Getting Lippy, Why Women and Climate Change, Toxic Tour
- Women more affected by CC due to gender inequality, have contributed less to it and are not equally involved in decisions and solutions to address it. CC exacerbating existing gender inequalities Achieving gender equality is a way to maximise our efficacy in fighting CC and other environmental challenges. Should do it anyway. Even if women were not the most affected, we should still be equally consulted.
- Food growing allows BAME women to express their cultural identities in the crops they choose to grow and how they organise their gardens. Celebrate cultural diversity and women’s knowledge.
- Creating and facilitating spaces where women can share and value their knowledge and skills. Routinely devalued in mainstream patriarchal society. Food growing provides platform to talk about wider environmental issues in accessible way. Practical.
- Gender dimension. Giving confidence to isolated women.