I am posting this week on the forum, not facebook, because I feel a bit more timid and unestablished in my thoughts on this, compared to consumption (let me know if this is the case for you as well) This year I had a professor really take her time to define and explore the now habitual land acknowledgement that we have all come to know while at UBC; she talked through the meanings of traditional, ancestral, and unceded, then asked us to write down our commitments to keeping these things in mind during over work in the next year. This very intentional time dedicated to thinking about how to be better stewards of historically disenfranchised peoples and perspectives really stuck with me, especially as a scientist. I suppose my reflection this week on what a just future looks like is more of an invitation to the masses to really spend time on how you, as a scientist, will incorporate justice and diverse perspectives into your work. How do we prioritize this in our workplace? Our communities? What prejudices and internal beliefs might you need to challenge in order to do this? One of my favorite tenants to live by is "more river than rock" which is a statement to the nature of change and how in order to find some peace in life we need to remain open to growth and evolution...remaining hard and steadfast like a rock means you are likely to be battered and uncomfortable, whereas the flow of water considers its surroundings and meets the space (to some extent). This is not to say you shouldn't have strong values or that you should morph into whatever is around you, just to say that we all need to work on listening and learning as we move into new spaces and meet new people. Thinking bigger picture, perhaps more diverse bodies of decision makers, which would stem from more accessible education and empowerment for a wide range of populations would help create this just future...In my environmental ethics class we explore the origins of values and assign accountability to actions- I think if we all do this, we inevitably arrive at more just outcomes and return to communal care, stewardship, and reciprocity. On campus, there are some interesting places that deal with this, such as the Climate Justice Hub! Maybe check them out :)

Hey Everyone! Really excited to get on here and say hey, as well as engage with you all moving forward. My name is Clare, and I am a 4th year Environment & Sustainability // Environmental Science student in ENVR 430 this term. I am passionate about getting vulnerable, crafting connected communities, and entertaining what might seem like radical notions of the possibilities for change within our social systems. Can't wait to learn from this community, as I know there is a wide range of backgrounds and interests! #unleashvalues