Campus Connection

Faculty teach topics from environmental racism to wilderness philosophy

The study of the environment is typically associated with topics from climate change to ecology. But environmental issues extend far beyond the borders of natural science. At UWL you’ll find faculty sharing ideas from “wilderness philosophy” to “environmental racism.” About 40 faculty across 19 departments currently teach topics related to environmental issues in some way. Meredith Thomsen, director of UWL’s Environmental Studies Program, invited them to come together Tuesday, Dec. 20, to share ideas and resources. [caption id="attachment_47660" align="alignright" width="325"] Meredith Thomsen, director of UWL’s Environmental Studies Program, invited faculty to come together Tuesday, Dec. 20, to share ideas and resources related to the environmental topics they teach.[/caption] “So many environmental issues are complex. It’s a great topic to work on from multiple perspectives, which you are uniquely able to do when you are a college student,” says Thomsen. Most of these faculty are teaching courses that count toward the Environmental Studies or Sustainable Business minors, while others are involved in environmentally-related research or creative projects. Adam Driscoll, an assistant professor of sociology, teaches environmental racism as part of an environmental justice course. He explains environmental justice as the study of the distribution of environmental harms — like landfills and industrial facilities — and the distribution of environmental goods — like clean water and air. What is good and bad in the environment is not equally distributed among all people, he explains. Statistically, people of color, poor communities, developing nations and women relative to men — are more likely to live with environmental harms than goods. The study of specifically communities of color in this dynamic is environmental racism. He hopes students who take course come away with a deeper understanding of how pervasive and serious environmental inequality is. “I think of how many people in the world — or even in this country — are forced to live on or near landfills, large factory farms, industrial pollution, or some other environmental hazard,” he says. “It’s not just an inconvenience, it can threaten these people’s health and well being.” Sam Cocks, associate professor of philosophy, teaches “Wilderness Philosophy,” which addresses what “wilderness” means as a concept and a place. For instance, students contemplate how wilderness concerns American culture, and how non-American culture understands and sometimes critiques the wilderness idea, explains Cocks. They also consider how wilderness relates to scientific, spiritual, experiential and aesthetic issues. The study of Recreation Management also frequently intersects with the environment. For example, mountain biking trails may be better suited for some outdoor areas than others due to how they may bisect habitats or how they can disturb soil, notes Laurie Harmon, associate professor of Rec Management and Therapeutic Recreation.  “As such, it is extremely important to understand where to design such trails to provide both an exciting experience, as well as reducing impact on the environment,” she says. Harmon teaches several Rec Management courses related to the environment, including “Environmental Ethics, Outdoor Recreation, & Natural Resources,” a core course all Rec majors are required to take. In these courses student can begin to understand how they can contribute to the goal of providing outdoor recreation in low impact and sustainable ways, says Harmon. That means the environment can be protected more effectively, while still providing people with the cognitive, social, psychological, and physical benefits they need, she says. In addition to connecting faculty to each other and their diverse environmental studies topics, Thomsen hopes the gathering gives faculty ideas of community engagement opportunities for their classes. La Crosse is home to many living laboratories for the exploration of environmental studies topics from food production and sustainable agriculture at the People’s Food Co-op to environmentally-sound resource management practices at the La Crosse County Landfill. “The group collectively knows a lot about what is happening in the area,” says Thomsen. “These conversations are really productive.” The event was organized by UWL’s Environmental Studies Program. To learn more about the program visit https://www.uwlax.edu/environmental-studies/