Discussion Questions and Exercises
New Allies for Nature and Culture: Exploring Common Ground for a Just and Sustainable Chicago Region —Jennifer L. Hirsch
Discussion Questions 1. What is the New Allies for Nature and Culture approach to regional sustainability? 2. The Center for Neighborhood Technology and the Civic Knowledge Project are two examples provided of organizations that link social and environmental issues in their work. Can you think of any organizations, maybe ones that you have worked with in the past, that cross the social/environmental line in their work? 3. The New Allies project identified five common concerns and three models for connecting social and environmental issues. Which do you find most compelling and why? 4. What components would your ideal “community of choice” entail? What elements would be necessary? 5. Describe the “wrap-around” approach to addressing community issues. Can you think of any examples that illustrate this model? 6. Hirsch argues that current sustainability movements provide an opportunity for the Environmental Justice Movement to expand its influence and ensure that justice and equity are key components of sustainability. She suggests that this is also an opportunity for the EJM itself to evolve from a reactive movement focused on environmental threats to a proactive movement focused on promoting a sense of collective well-being. What does this mean? Can you think of examples of both types of work, that you have seen or been involved in? Exercises 1. If you work with an organization: Take ownership of the New Allies approach! Explore your organization’s work in relation to the New Allies project. a. Do you work on issues that could be thought of as common concerns or integrative models that connect social and environmental issues? How might focusing on some of these concerns help push your work forward in new ways? b. What kind of collaborative work do you engage in with unlikely partners? How would you initiate the collaboration process between your organization and another organization, or between other social and environmental organizations? What would you do first? Identify potential challenges to collaboration and describe how you might overcome these. List some alternate ideas for sparking and sustaining collaboration. 2. One way to explore regional sustainability and quality of life issues is to look to the past. Participants at the 2008 New Allies gathering at The Field Museum did just that when they took part in a self-guided tour through The Ancient Americas exhibition. This tour is now available online for participants to enjoy virtually. As a group or on your own, take the selfguided tour, People Act and Cultures Change: Nature and Culture in the Americas. Discover the many lessons about environmental conservation and quality of life that are relevant to the issues we face today in the Chicago region.