Right now I want to…
Get involved on campus!
Hey Wes students, if you want to set yourself up for climate activism, what should you major in?
It doesn't matter! Every course of study can be a powerful doorway into climate issues. Regardless of your major(s), minor(s), or certificate(s), make sure to check WesMaps for classes that are part of the Sustainability and Environmental Justice initiative (S&EJ). Whether outside or within your primary academic path(s), these classes span many different subjects and can often be found in departments you wouldn’t expect.
Get involved around Middletown!
Get involved without leaving my home!
Right now I want to:
Advocate for Positive Climate Impact on Campus
It’s all happening at the Sustainability Office!
CHECK OUT THE WESLEYAN SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE
The Sustainability Office is our go-to hub. Lots of links to get involved here and contact info for great, active student sustainability groups here. Email director Jen Kleindienst if you want to talk to someone first.
BECOME AN ECO FACILITATOR
Eco Facilitators are a group of up to 16 students who spend 3 semesters building their own skills to provide other students with the tools, education, and encouragement necessary to develop sustainable living practices.
LONG LANE FARM
Volunteer on or spend the summer working with Long Lane Farm (find on insta @longlanefarm). Info & application here.
WES DIVEST!
Lobby the administration to eliminate Wesleyan’s carbon footprint by 2035.
Right now I want to:
Support Local, Sustainable Initiatives on Campus
Why buy new?
REBOOT ECO
Tired of throwing away single-use plastic that once held your shampoos, soap, and laundry detergent? Looking for reusable planners and sustainable alternatives for your to-go meals? Check out Reboot Eco right here in Middletown, a four-minute drive or twenty-minute walk from campus. No car? Ask the shuttle to take you!
WESLEYAN CO-OP
Each semester, use your meal plan points toward Wesleyan’s co-op, a student-run initiative that sources produce, eggs, meat, dairy, tofu, mushrooms, coffee, and more from local farms in the area. Not on the meal plan, or a faculty/staff member? You can pay with money as well!
WESLEYAN FREE THRIFT STORE
Need a new outfit as the weather gets warmer? Cleaning out your winter closet? Pick up from or donate to Wesleyan’s FREE thrift store!
WES MARKETPLACE AND WesTHRIFT
Can’t find what you need, or looking for something beyond clothes? WesMarketplace is a new initiative connecting students looking to buy, sell, and exchange used items. Become a beta tester using the link above, and get notified when they officially launch. Alternatively, join the WesThrift group on Facebook: a great place to buy and sell used items from other students on campus.
SUSTAINABLE CANDLES
If you’re in the market for new candles, student Kay Perkins recently launched a sustainable candle company called Scrappy Seconds, featuring eco-friendly waxes, homemade scents, and donated/thrifted packaging. Use a candle and keep the mug/jar to use, or purchase a refill.
Right now I want to:
Share the Work I'm doing and Meet Others Doing It Too
The world is relying on young adults who are making a big difference. Are you one of them?
JOIN SAVE THE SOUND’S YOUTH ECO ADVOCACY CORPS
If you're already working to make change, share your ongoing sustainability initiatives with others who join with you in your passion– AND learn from our team what we are doing to promote climate action and environmental justice as well. We meet the fourth Monday of every month (on Zoom) at 6 p.m. Click here to register.
SAVE THE SOUND STORYTELLING OPPORTUNITIES
If you are an individual under age 30 leading a sustainability project or tackling environmental policy, please consider sharing your story with us. These are great for your websites, resumés, and portfolios. Here are some great examples: Community Organizer Raises Flood Mitigation Awareness in Stratford, Young Activist Promotes Environmental Justice Through Art and Storytelling, and UConn Clean Energy Society Student Leader Advocates for Clean Energy Future. To get involved email Environmental Justice Specialist Alex Rodriguez: alexrodriguez@savethesound.org.
Right now I want to:
Volunteer Outside
Water chestnut is a harmful invasive species taking over stretches of our rivers. When left unchecked, it decimates ecosystems by blocking light and from native plant and animal species, and eliminates recreational opportunities.
PULL WATER CHESTNUTS - LOTS OF CHANCES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER!
Join the CT RIver Conservancy and the Jonah Center for Earth and Art on Saturday May 6 and throughout the summer to paddle out to boggy meadows and remove those water chestnuts! Roots can reach up to 15' feet. More info and sign up here. Don’t have a kayak? No problem! The CRC has spares to loan– contact Rhea at rdrozdenko@ctriver.org.
HELP OUT THE RIVER ECOSYSTEM
Any kind of hands-on river volunteer work you’re looking for, the Connecticut River Conservancy has it. Check out their volunteer page for information on fish monitoring, getting out on the river to remove invasive species, planting trees, collecting water samples for bacteria/quality testing, and upcoming river clean-ups. Sign up for their newsletter to hear about opportunities as they arise, or get in touch by email (volunteer@ctriver.org) or phone (413-772-2020 x207).
INDOOR VOLUNTEERING AT THE CT RIVER MUSEUM
For volunteer opportunities that are less physically demanding and oriented toward archival work and public education, reach out to the Connecticut River Museum’s volunteer program team to learn about their volunteer initiatives. You can also contact Cathy Malin, the director of visitor experience, by phone at 860-767-8269 x118.
Right now I want to:
Play Outside and Learn
So many places to hike in Connecticut!
TAKE A RIVERQUEST CRUISE
Let the experts at the Connecticut RIver Museum take you on a boat ride to experience the River’s ecology, history, and wildlife. See osprey, bald eagles in their natural habitats! Find their calendar and reserve your ticket here.
HIKE IN A STATE PARK
Check out the park system located in our RIver Valley region of Connecticut. Find one you want to visit, and treat yourself to some time outside!
VISIT THE OCEAN!
Middletown is only about a 30 minute drive from many of the State’s great beaches. Bring a bag and do a “2 minutes for Trash” walk, picking up any trash you see and throwing it away appropriately.
Right now I want to:
Be a Citizen Scientist
Citizen science is research conducted wholly or in part by amateur scientists. The organization Save the Sound has great opportunities— check them out!
FECAL BACTERIA MONITORING
Join Save the Sound's fecal bacteria monitoring program, which involves volunteers in weekly collection of water samples from the Sound and its tributary rivers and streams during the summer months. This study relies on consistent commitment. To volunteer, fill out the form on this document and email it to the address provided.
UNIFIED WATER STUDY
Join Save the Sound's Unified Water Study, which assesses the ecological health of our bays, harbors, and coves by measuring the impacts of nitrogen. SOS works with volunteers on this study from May through October. To get involved, email Peter Linderoth at plinderoth@savethesound.org.
COLLECT DATA ON LITTER VIA YOUR PHONE
Download apps like the marine debris tracker or cleanswell. Collect data on litter in your community for scientists! You don’t have to live near a beach– data on litter and pollution can be collected anywhere in the world.
Right now I want to:
ADVOCATE FOR POLICY CHANGE
It sounds scary and complicated to add your voice to local legislative debates, but it’s actually easy and might be the most impactful thing you can do!
USE YOUR VOICE: TESTIFY FOR LOCAL LEGISLATION
STEP 1: FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH AN ISSUE you care about that is on the legislative docket. Find out about the bills raised for session by talking to and getting involved in local activist organizations like Connecticut River Conservancy, Save the Sound, CT Conservation Districts, the Jonah Center for Earth and Art, and the Rockfall Foundation.
STEP 2: REGISTER with the CT General Assembly Bulletin so you can track the bills you want to speak for/ against. Once the hearing is announced, a link to sign up will be provided in the bulletin. You can choose to testify in person or virtually. After signing up, they will notify you of acceptance and provide the zoom link (they will always send you a zoom link, so if the day gets long, you can switch to virtual). The schedule of speakers will be posted on the Committee website prior to the hearing, so you will know where you are in the order.
STEP 3: GET READY TO SPEAK! If you are testifying verbally, make sure you watch the hearing to know where you are in the order. If you are virtual, they will upgrade you to a participant a few speakers before you are due to go on. When its your turn, you can give your testimony. If you go over 3 minutes, they will stop you when the bell rings.
USE YOUR VOICE: CALL YOUR POLITICAL REP!
Contact politicians at local, state, and national levels. Ask them to support policy that reduces single use plastics, creates robust recycling systems, promotes designing with recycling in mind, and holds producers accountable for the extended ‘life’ of their products.
SIGN PETITIONS WITH SAVE THE SOUND
Save the Sound is an organized and resourced organization that can plug you in to taking direct action on policy. Visit this page to find out more, sign petitions, and learn about current ecological issues in our region.
GET TO KNOW ACTIVISTS AND ADVOCATES ON CAMPUS
There are wise and wonderful folks in our midst who are both deeply connected both to the Wesleyan campus and the Middletown community. If you run into Kate Miller or Krishna Winston ask them what issues they’re activated around these days!
Right now I want to:
Read & Write
These online journals have an environmental focus:
These books are recommended by our Art and Action series partners:
Is Racism an Environmental Threat? by Ghassan Hage
How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler
The Quest for Environmental Justice: Human rights and the Politics of Pollution edited by Dr. Robert Bullard
The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson
The World We Need: Stories and Lessons from America’s Unsung Environmental Movement edited by Audrea Lim
Head to RJ Julia to pick up a copy, or ask them to order for you. #BuyLocal
Right now I want to:
Watch
Check out these recommendations from our Art and Action series partners.
The Connecticut River Conservancy’s video podcast series on youtube is great! This channel includes lectures on issues such as hydroelectric power, invasive species (such as water chestnuts and hydrillas), sustainable home gardening, environmental impacts on local economies, and advocacy for legislation.
Fire of Love by Sara Dosa (Wes Alum, Anthro '05). Katia and Maurice Krafft loved two things — each other and volcanoes. For two decades, the daring French volcanologist couple roamed the planet, chasing eruptions and documenting their discoveries. Ultimately, they lost their lives in a 1991 volcanic explosion, leaving a legacy that forever enriched our knowledge of the natural world. We love it for the story, the French New Wave vibe, and the Miranda July narration.
NOVA: Rise of the Superstorms: Takes you inside the 2017 superstorms and the cutting-edge research that will determine how well equipped we are to deal with hurricanes in the future.
Symbiotic Earth: How Lynn Margulis Rocked the Boat and Started a Scientific Revolution : Particularly recommended by Geology Prof Raquel Bryant, the Wesleyan community can access the full film for free from the Wes library.
Right now I want to:
Listen
Check out these podcast recommendations from our Art and Action series partners.
Right now I want to:
Support Local Groups
Our Ocean Filibuster Partners are doing great work. You can support them–and our earth and community– with money, time, or interest. Just spreading the word helps!
Connecticut River Conservancy - a strong voice for the Connecticut River watershed, from source to sea. We collaborate with partners across four states to protect and advocate for your rivers, and educate and engage communities. We bring people together to prevent pollution, improve habitat, and promote enjoyment of the river and its tributary streams. Healthy rivers support healthy economies.
Connecticut River Coastal Conservation Districts - promoting the sound use and management of natural resources through education and service and community events. Read their newsletter here.
Save the Sound - leads environmental action in our region. They fight climate change, save endangered lands, protect the Sound and its rivers, and work with nature to restore ecosystems.