This blog has been adapted from Rainy Day Netflix Documentaries, originally published on the ECO Reps blog.
https://youtu.be/Wu-vjWd7Tb8
Step into the world of the mountain gorilla. NYTimes says, “wrenches a startlingly lucid narrative from a sickening web of bribery, corruption and violence.” Read more
by Solange Fortenbach
Our carbon footprint is a measurement of the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere from the activities we perform in our day-to-day lives, such as driving, turning on the lights, or flying in a plane. Our carbon footprints can be offset through activities that minimize or divert carbon dioxide.
During winter break, between flying back to my home state of California, purchasing gifts and decorations for the holiday, and cooking elaborate meals with my family, I know my carbon footprint with likely increase significantly. To offset these carbon emissions, I’m going to change my routine a bit. This is the list I’ve come up with to offset my carbon this break: Read more
by Solange Fortenbach
Last Thursday, October 20th, actress and activist, Shailene Woodley and other pipeline protesters came to NYU for an impromptu panel. The event was announced with short notice, but recognizing Woodley’s name, I automatically RSVP’d. My expectations of this talk could be summed up into a semantic, if not generic, conversation about what I could do to be more like other environmental activists, like Shailene. This, however, was not how the panel went. Read more
by Jon Chin
Right around the corner of NYU, The New School is hosting a series of phenomenal speaker events open to the general public. Dubbed the Nth Degree, they are bringing in “thinkers, visionaries, and creators” who are making a positive impact on society, from prison reform to ethical business practices to environmental justice. On September 26th, they hosted speakers from the Impact Finance Center in an event titled, “Social Impact Investing for Sustainability.” While not explicitly part of the Nth Degree series, the night shared the same values: how to navigate the real world—the world as it is—and steer it to the right path.
Now, I’ve been a giver for a large part of my life. It’s a character trait/flaw that’s influenced what I study, where I work, how I spend my time, and what I love. Whenever money enters the conversation, I start to feel guilty; I sometimes compensate for that feeling by undercharging people or working overtime for free. Even when I know my clients can afford it, I deflect these conversations. And I imagine that I’m not the only person who does this; we sometimes think that profit somehow cheapens or mis-motivates our work. Read more
by Adi Varshneya
Climate activist, author, and filmmaker Naomi Klein spoke at NYU’s Tishman Auditorium on Friday evening as part of the Educating for Sustainability series. The series focuses on women on the forefront of the environmental movement and is a collaboration between Office of Sustainability and EarthMatters, the largest environmental student group at NYU.
Klein is well known for her criticism of global corporate capitalism, continually stressing the incompatibility between neoliberalism and climate justice throughout her speech. She makes two key points: firstly, neoliberal policy inhibits the public investments needed to combat climate change. A weak public sphere cannot implement clean energy, extend public transport, and improve infrastructure. Secondly, neoliberal ideology is centered around a growth imperative. While marginal growth is possible alongside marginal emission reductions, 2016 is no longer a time for marginal improvements. Our leaders have waited far too long to take action. If we want to keep global temperature increases below 1.5-2 degrees Celsius and prevent climate catastrophe, we need to act radically and begin making systematic changes in our governments and economies. Read more
