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Founded in 2005, the Harry Potter Alliance is an international non-profit that turns fans into heroes by making activism accessible through the power of story. This toolkit provides resources for fans of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to think more deeply about climate change and take action in our own world.

Contact us:fandomforward@thehpalliance.orgfacebook.com/thehpalliancetwitter.com/thehpallianceinstagram.com/thehpalliance

#FandomForward

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Introduction 4

FacilitatorTips 5

Allyship 7

EnvironmentalJustice 8

EnvironmentalJustice:TalkitOut! 10

EnvironmentalJustice:Actions 11

MassProduction&HumanImpact 12

MassProduction&HumanImpact:TalkitOut! 15

MassProduction&HumanImpact:Actions 16

EnvironmentalDisasters&Refugees 18

EnvironmentalDisasters&Refugees:TalkitOut! 19

EnvironmentalDisasters&Refugees:Actions 20

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Inthewizardingworld,therearefewpeoplewhotrulyappreciatethenaturalworldandthecreaturesthatcallithome.NewtScamander,RubeusHagrid,andCharlieWeasleydevotetheirlivestounderstandingandtocaring formagicalcreatures—butmuchof thewizardingcommunityseemsto ignore theenvironment.Lookingatourworld,thesamemightbesaidofus.

Tounderstandclimatechange,wehavetofirstunderstandourclimate.AccordingtoNASA,climate is theusualweatherofaplace,includingpatternsoftemperature,precipitation(rainorsnow),humidity,wind,andseasons.Forexample,in1920sNewYorkCity,theclimatewascoldandoftensnowyinthewinterandhotandhumidinthesummer.ThereisalsotheEarth’sclimate,whichincludesalloftheclimatesaroundtheglobe.Climate changeoccurswhentheusualweatherofaplace(beitacity,acountry,ortheentireplanet)changes.Rightnow,climatechangeishappeningatarapidpace;thetemperatureoftheEarth’sclimateisrising.

Thisrapidchangeinclimateiscausedbyhumans.Throughburningfossilfuels(coal,oil,andgas),humansreleasegreenhousegases,likecarbondioxide,intotheair.Innormalclimateconditions,solarenergyfromthesunwarmstheplanet,andmuchofitradiatesbackouttospace.However,withahighvolumeofgreenhousegasesintheatmosphere,lesssolarenergyisradiatingout—whichmeansmoreofitisstayingonEarth,warmingtheoceansandtheair.Thatrisingtemperatureiscontributingtoweatherchangesallovertheworld,withmoreandmoreextremeweathereventslikehurricanes,droughts,andfloodshappeningaroundtheglobe.

While some corporations and politiciansmay deny the reality of climate change for financial or politicalreasons,theworld’sscientistsagree:climatechangeisreal,andhumanbeingsarespeedingitup.

InFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,welearnabouttheobscurus,aparasiticcreaturethatformswhenwitches,wizards,andmagicalfolkdenytheirmagicalability.Thehostofanobscurusbecomesanobscurial.Theobscurusisdangerous,wreakinghavocanddestructionwhenitisuncontrolled.Eventually,theobscuruskillstheobscurial.

Inourworld,climatechangedenialandourcontinueduseoffossilfuelshascreatedakindofglobalobscurus:aglobalclimatethatisrapidlychangingandcreatingextremestorms,droughts,andfloods.Today,thequestionisnotwhethertheobscurusexists.Climatechangeishere.Thequestionishowwillwedealwithit?

InFantastic Beasts,weseetwoapproachestodealingwithanobscurus. Inoneapproach,PercivalGravesand theMACUSA staff dig intowhat they know: a violent showdown to trap the obscurus.OnlyNewt, aconservationistandloverofthenaturalworld,triesanentirelydifferentapproach:coaxingtheobscurialoutandtreatingitwithkindness.

Today, we struggle with the same question: Do we stick with what we know—burning fossil fuels andindustrializing—andhopethisdangerousforcegoesaway?Ordowefollowthe leadofpeople likeNewtandtryanewapproachtohowwetreattheearth?ThistoolkithelpsyouexplorethesequestionsbylearningaboutouroldapproachesandofferingresourcesfortheNewtScamandersamonguswhoarereadytoleadtheworldinanew,moremagicalapproachtoourenvironment.

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PROTECT YOUR TEAM Before you start,make sureeveryoneon your team feels safe and included. Younever

knowwhataparticularissuemaymeantosomeonepersonallyorhowadiscussionmayimpactthem.Agreatwaytostartistosetsomeguidelinesasagroupforwhatisandisnotacceptableonyourteam. If thingsstarttogettoouncomfortable,don’tbeafraidtoendalineofdiscussionorsteerittoanothertopic.Rememberthatnotallofusarereadytogoonthiskindofjourney.Makesuretoletyourteamknowyou’ll

beparticipating in adiscussionor actionbeforehand, so that everyone can choosewhetherornottoparticipate.

LISTEN TO EACH OTHEREveryonehasauniqueviewpointandthingstoshare.Theseissuesarecomplicated,and different viewpoints are okay. Take time to listen, and let everyone speakandchallengeeachotherwithoutdevaluingeachother’sopinionsorresortingtopersonalattacks.

TALK FIRSTIt’simportanttodiscussissuesbeforetakingaction.Usethe“TalkItOut”sectionstothinkabouttheseissuesbeforedecidinghowtotacklethem.

DON’T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONSDon’t assume you know everything about an issue, especially if there arepeople on your team who have personally experienced an issue or whoseidentity you are discussing. Allies are awesome, but it’s more importantfor the voices of those who have lived these experiences to be heard. Thebest way to be an ally is to make sure those people have space to speak.

Socialissuescanbetoughtotalkabout,andtheissuesinthistoolkitarenoexception.Asawizardactivist,andthereforearespectedleaderinthiscommunity,it’simportanttofollowsomebasicguidelineswhenleading

anygroupthroughthiskit:

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TAKE ACTIONWhenyouandyourteamfeelreadytojumpin,usethe“Action”suggestionstogetstarted. If your team comes upwith a different idea, that’s awesome—don’t beafraidtogetcreative!

KEEP LEARNINGWe’ve only begun to scratch the surface. Social issues are highly complex andconstantly evolving. Takewhat you learn from this kit and continue to educateyourselfontheissues.

NEED BACKUP?That’sokay,there’sawholeteamofvolunteersreadytohelp.Emailusatfandomforward@thehpalliance.org.

We’rehappytoanswerquestionsortohelpyouwithfacilitationoractionitems.

ALL CHARACTERS ARE FLAWEDWe’vedoneourbesttorepresenttheissuesinthistoolkitasaccuratelyaspossible,butbecausetheseissuesaresocomplex,thereareboundtobethingswemissedorsubjectsyouhavedifferentviewson.Ifyoufindfactualerrorsinthistoolkit,pleaseletusknow!

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Inmanyofthestorieswelove,ourheroeswintheirbattlesnotwithweaponsbutwithkindnessandactivelistening.Heroes can teachus a lot abouthow tobe aneffectiveally, someonewhouses their power tosupportandprotectothers.

THINKaboutwhatyoubelieveaboutanissuealready.Whatassumptionsareyoumaking?Wherehaveyoulearnedabouttheissue?

LEARNmoreabouttheissue.Readbooksandarticles,especiallythosewrittenbythepeopleaffectedbytheissue!Therearelotsofresourcesinthistoolkitandmany,manymoreavailableacrosstheinternet.

UNLEARNthingsyouusedtothinkbutnowknowdifferently.Thiscanbereallychallenging,anditmaytakemanyyearsforyoutounlearnsomeofthethingsyou’vebeentaughtorassumed.WhenNewtScamandermentionshe’swritingabookaboutfantasticbeasts,Tinaasksifit’sanexterminationguide.ShelearnsfromNewtaboutthe importanceofpreservationandprotectionoffantasticbeastsandtheirenvironments. It’sokaytomakemistakes;relyonyourfriendstohelpremindyouaboutthingsyouneedtounlearn.

ASKpeopleaffectedbytheissuewhattheyneed.Alotoftimeswhenwewanttohelp,wecanmakeassumptionsaboutwhatwouldbemosthelpful.Hermioneassumedthatthehouse-elveswantedtobegivenclothingandfreedombecauseit’swhatsheandDobbywanted.Itturnedoutthatwhattheyreallywantedwastocontinuetowork,especiallyinasafeenvironmentlikeHogwarts.

LISTEN towhatthosepeoplesay!Activelisteningisoneofthemostimportantpartsofbeingagoodally.

ACT on everything you’ve learned. Once you knowwhat a community needs, you can advocate for thatcommunityorissuethewaythatwillhelpthemost.

RECRUITotherallies!Whenfacedwithgreatinjustice,Hermionedidn’tworkonherown—sherecruitedallthemembersofDumbledore’sArmy!Whetheryouareworkingonanewcauseorlearningsomethingyou

didn’tknowbefore,growandstrengthenyourDumbledore’sArmybysharingthatinformationwithothers.

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TheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencydefinesenvironmental justiceas“thefairtreatmentandmeaningfulinvolvementofallpeopleregardlessofrace,color,nationalorigin,orincomewithrespecttothedevelopment,implementation,andenforcementofenvironmentallaws,regulations,andpolicies.”TheNationalResourcesDefenseCouncilexpandson thatdefinition:“Environmental justice isan importantpartof thestruggle toimproveandmaintainacleanandhealthfulenvironment,especiallyforthosewhohavetraditionally lived,worked,andplayedclosesttothesourcesofpollution.”

Environmental justiceisamovementthatfightsenvironmentalracism.Environmental racismreferstothefact thatcommunitiesofcoloraremore likely tobearthebruntofenvironmentaldegradationthanwhitecommunities.Low-incomecommunities(which,duetotheimpactofdiscriminationandgenerationalpoverty,areoftencommunitiesofcolor)arealsomorelikelytolive,work,andplaynearenvironmentalhazardsthanmiddle-andhigh-incomecommunities.

Environmentalracismisafrequentthemeinpopculture,evenifwedon’timmediatelyrecognizeit.InThe Hunger Games,residentsofDistrict12areresponsibleforPanem’scoalminingindustry.Thedistrictisdescribedas“coveredinafinelayerofcoaldust,”indicatingwidespreadairpollutionanddeadlyaccidentsintheminesareverycommon.TheCapitol,whichbuildsitswealthandluxurybysubjugatingtheDistricts,doesnotfaceenvironmentaldangerslikeDistrict12.Notably,theenvironmentaldangersalsodifferfromdistricttodistrict.

FansofthecartoonshowCaptain Planetknowthattherearedifferentenvironmentalconcernsacrosstheglobe,whichmeansthatenvironmentalracismandenvironmentaljusticelookdifferentindifferentplaces.AttheStandingRockNativeAmericanreservation,environmentaljusticeadvocatesarefightingagainsttheDakotaAccessPipeline.Thispipelineisbeingbuiltthroughsacredlandsthatwouldfaceirreparableenvironmentalandculturalharmshouldthecrudeoilpipelineeverbreak.IntheAmazon,activistsareworkingtoprotectindigenouslandsfromclearcutting.OntheislandnationofVanuatu,advocatesarestrugglingtobuildfacilitiestoprotecttheirfreshwatersourcesfrommixingwithseawaterasclimatechangemakesthekingtidesbiggerandstronger.InFlint,Michigan,environmentalracismledtotheuseofanunsafewatersourceandanincreaseinleadpoisoningamongresidents—whichmeansthatenvironmentaljusticeincludesprovidingsafedrinkingwater, fixing Flint’s infrastructure, and providing increased resources for families, schools, and healthcarefacilitiestoaddressthelong-termdamageofleadpoisoningontheresidents.

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When we work to fight climate change, we can also work toward environmental justice. Working forenvironmentaljusticemeansfightingalongsideandsupportingtheeffortsofthepeoplemostimpactedbyenvironmentalracism.Whenactingasanallyinthefightforenvironmentaljustice,supportactionsledbytheimpactedcommunitiesandworktounderstandhowthepasthasledtopresent-dayproblems.Forexample,environmentalracismtowardsindigenouspeopleshasbeenamajor(thoughoftenundiscussed)partofU.S.history.ThroughpoliciesliketheIndianRemovalActof1830andsubsequentremovalsenactedbyPresidentsAndrew JacksonandMartinVanBuren knownas theTrail of Tears, thegovernment relocated indigenouspeoples to small areas of landwith limited resources called reservations. Today,many native people liveon reservations that strugglewith inadequate resources and services, and theyarenowexperiencing theimpactsofclimatechange, includingflooding,drought,changes inanimalbehavior,andmore.Tofight forenvironmental justice with native people and other impacted communities, allies must understand and

acknowledgetheharmenvironmentalracismhascausedinthepast,present,andpotentialfuture.

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1. Thinkaboutplacesthatyouhavelived.Whereweretheenvironmentalhazardslikefactories,landfills,andpollutednaturalareas?Wholivedintheneighborhoodsnearby?

2. Formanypeople,environmental racismandenvironmental justicemaybenewconcepts,even if theyhaveobservedthepracticesintherealworld.Howmuchdidyouknowabouttheseconceptsbeforethisconversation?Whatquestionsdoyouhavenow?

3. Haveyoueverpersonallybeenimpactedbyanenvironmentalissuelikepollutionorclimatechange?Whathappened?

4. Talkingaboutenvironmentalracismandjusticecanbechallenging.Whydoyouthinkthatis?

5. Climatechangeisanenvironmentalissueofglobalimpact,butitsimpactisnotthesameacrosstheworld.Whatdoesclimatechangelooklikewhereyoulive?Howmightitlookdifferentinacoastalarea,desert,orforest?

6. Whataresomeotherenvironmentalissuesthatyouarefamiliarwith?Howmighttheybeimpactinglow-incomecommunitiesofcolormoredrasticallythanwhitecommunities?

7. Whataresomeexamplesofmedia(includingTV,film,literature,andmore)thatuseenvironmentalracisminthestory?

8. Whydo you think thatwe caneasily see theharmof environmental racism inbooks like TheHungerGames,oranti-environmentsentimentinfilmslikeFantasticBeasts,butwestruggletorecognizeandtalkabouttheseissuesinreallife?

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• Donate Time or Money: There are many grassroots environmental-justice organizations that needvolunteersordonations.Herearejustafew—lookformoreorganizationsinyourcommunity!

» Contribute to theStandingRockSiouxTribe’s fundraiserand learnaboutotherways tosupportthewaterprotectors.Ifyoucan,jointheprotestatStandingRockorasolidarityprotestnearyou.Beforeyougo,checkoutresourcesonhowtobeaneffectiveallyfromtheStandingRockSolidarityNetwork.

» ThroughtheDeepSouthCenterforEnvironmentalJustice,ruralparishcommunitiesinLouisiana's“CancerAlley”havemademajorstridesinpublicizing,researching,andinterveninginhundredsofenvironmentalactionstoprotectcommunitiesfromfurtherdegradationandharm.

» GotGreenisagrassrootsgroupintheSeattlearealedbyyoungadultsandpeopleofcolorthatpromotes themovement foranequitable,greeneconomyas thebestwaytofightpovertyandglobalwarmingatthesametime.

» CaliforniaEnvironmentalJusticeAllianceisastatewidecoalitionofgrassrootsenvironmentaljusticeorganizations.

» GreenForAllworkstobuildaninclusivegreeneconomystrongenoughtoliftpeopleoutofpoverty.

» WestHarlemEnvironmentalAction, Inc. (WEACT forEnvironmental Justice) tacklesavarietyofissues,includingfoodjustice,affordabletransit,airquality,climateresilience,federalpolicy,openandgreenspaces,sustainableandequitablelanduse,toxin-freeproducts,andpesticides.

» Greenactionisamultiracialgrassrootsorganizationthatfightsforhealthandenvironmentaljusticetogetherwithlow-incomeandworkingclassurban,rural,andindigenouscommunities.

• Get Involved Online:Organizationslike350.organdPowerShifthavegreattoolstogetyoustarted.

• Contact Your Lawmakers:Askthemhowtheyaresupportinglocal,state,andfederalpoliciesthatmoveyourcommunitytowardenvironmental justice. Iftheydonotknowwhatyou’retalkingabout,educatethem!Lookatthebillsthatenvironmentalgroupsledbyindigenousandpeopleofcolorareadvocatingfor,andadvocateforthosebills,too.FindouthowtogetstartedwithourSPARKvideoseries.

• Educate Your Community: Usingresourceslikesomeofthetoolkitsbelow,educateyourcommunityonenvironmental-justiceissuesinyourcommunityandaroundtheworld.

» ClimateChangestoriesfrom#MyHungerGames

» EnvironmentalJusticeNetwork

» EnvironmentalJusticeinTransportationToolkit

» NAACP’sEnvironmentalJusticeandClimateChangeProgram

» Mayah’sLot:EnvironmentalJusticeChroniclesBook1

» TeachingTolerance:ResourcesonEnvironmentalRacismandJustice

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“The humans have brought us a truly demonic concept: mass production!”

—The Master, Buffy the Vampire Slayer(Season3,Episode9)

Whenwethinkofafactory,weoftenthinkofworkers(ormachines)positionedalonganassemblyline,puttingpartstogetheronanever-endingconveyorbelt.Whilethisisnottheonlykindofmassproduction,itiscertainlyoneofthemostwidespread.Massproductionisthecreationoflargequantitiesofstandardizedproducts—suchastheOnceler’sthneeds,thefineproductthatallpeopleneed, inDr.Seuss’The Lorax.Beforemassproduction,craftproductionrequiredonecraftspersontoassembleeachpartofaproduct,anditrequiredmultipletoolsandagreatdealoftimeandknowledge.Massproductionspeedsuptheprocessbyrequiringworkerstousethesametoolsandactionsrepeatedly.Massproductionhasincreasedtheimpactthathumanbeingshaveontheenvironmentbyrequiringmorerawmaterialsandproducingmorewasteandgreenhousegasesthaneverbeforeinhumanhistory.

AGRICULTURE

The majority of the products found in many parts of the world’s homes are mass produced, includingtechnology,clothing,othermaterialgoods,andevenmuchofthefoodweeat.Mostprocessedfood,produce,meats,anddairyarenotlovinglywhippedupfromQueenieGoldstein’swand,butareharvested,processed,andpackagedby farmand factoryworkers,manyofwhoare low-income immigrantsandpeopleofcolor.Manyimmigrantworkersonthesefarmsareundocumented,whichmeansthattheymaybeafraidtoreportabusetheyreceivefromtheiremployers—afactthatsomeemployerstakeadvantageof.OxfamAmerica’sLiveontheLinecampaignoffersaglimpseintotheinhumaneconditionsinmanyfactories.Animalsinthesefarmsalsofaceinhumaneconditions:theyaregenerallyconfinedindoors,intight,overcrowdedspacesanddeniedaccesstosunlight,cleanair,andtreatmentforchronicpaincausedbytheirlivingconditions.

Whileallfactoriescanbedangerousandproducewastethatcontributestoenvironmentaldegradation,foodproductionfactories(particularlyanimalfactoryfarms)aresomeofthebiggestcontributorstoclimatechangeduetotheproductionofmethane.Yup,that’scowfarts—butnotjustcowfarts!AccordingtoNASA,methaneisahighlyactivegreenhousegasthatformsthrough“decompositionofwastesinlandfills,agriculture,andespeciallyricecultivation,aswellasruminantdigestionandmanuremanagementassociatedwithdomesticlivestock.”Methane helps trap heat below the Earth’s atmosphere, warming the planet’s surface. Today,factoryfarmsaregrowinglargerbytakingonmoreanimals,people,andland,makingitveryhardforsmaller,moresustainablefarmstocompete.

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DEFORESTATION

In Fantastic Beasts,Newt’ssuitcasecoversavastamountofspace,includinghabitatsforanimalsfromallovertheworld.Thesuitcaseisenchantedtobehugebecauseplantandanimalhabitatsrequirealotofroom.Thesameistrueinagriculture—withsomebigdifferences.Innature,plantsandanimalslivetogetherandbenefitfromoneanother.Inmassproduction–basedagriculture,massivebuildingshouselargenumbersofanimalsthatareheldinsmallcages,andindividualcropsfillvastfields.Roadscrisscrossthecountrytobringproductstoshoppingcentersandhumanhomes.Allofthisrequireslotsofspace.

Tomakemorespace,humanshaveparticipatedindeforestation:theclearingoftreesandotherforestplantsandanimals.Deforestationdestroysandendangersnumerousspecies,somethingthatconservationistslikeNewtaredeeplytroubledby.Italsocontributestoclimatechange.Plantsabsorbcarbondioxide,oneofthemajorgreenhousegasesthatisheatinguptheplanet.Byreducingthenumberoftrees,wearereducingtheplanet’sabilitytoregulatecarbondioxide.What’smore,deforestationofteninvolvesburningtreesandotherplantmatter,whichproducesevenmorecarbondioxide.

Deforestation often takes place on land that has traditionally housed and been cared for by indigenouspeoples.Thismeansthatdestroyingtheforestalsodestroyshomes,sacredspaces,andculturaltraditionsthathavedevelopedintheforestsforcenturies.Unsurprisingly,in2016theUnitedNationsfoundthatindigenousgovernments and communities were better at preventing deforestation than national governments (thesystemsofgovernmentestablishedbycolonists).Advocatingforindigenousrightsandsupportingtheworkofindigenousactivistscanhelppreventmuchofthedamagebycausedbydeforestation.

Climate change also changes animal behavior andhabitats.More volatileweather,warmer air andwater,droughts, andfloods all force animals to adapt to a rapidly changing environment, andmany species arestrugglingtoadapt.InFantastic Beasts,Newtistryingtoeducatehismagicalpeersaboutprotecting,ratherthandestroying,magicalcreatures.In1926,hewasworriedaboutthehumanimpactonanimals.Today,Newtwouldbefightingclimatechange.

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TRANSPORTATION

Transportation is one of the leading causes of climate change. Transportation that contributes to climatechangeincludesanythingthatburnsfossilfuels(likecoaloroil),includingcars,trucks,planes,trains,ships,andfreight.IntheUnitedStates,transportationaccountsfornearly30percentofgreenhousegasemissions.

Whiletransportation isamajorcause, it isalsooneplacewherewewillseethemajor impactsofclimatechange.Roads,bridges,andrailwaysallfacedamagefromrapidtemperaturechangesandincreasedsnowandrainfall.Floodingimpactsourabilitytousecoastalroadwaysandundergroundtransportation.Increasedorintensifiedstormsmakesshipandairtravelmoreunpredictable.

On a personal level, there are changes that we can make to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel–basedtransportation.Whilewecan’tapparatelikeNewtScamander,wecanreducehowmuchwedrivebywalking,biking,takingpublictransportation,andcarpooling.Whenpurchasingacar,wecanlookforelectric,hybrid,orfuel-efficientmodels.Wecantrytoliveclosertoschoolandwork,andwecanadvocatetoourlocalgovernmenttoincreaseaccesstoandreliabilityofsustainablepublictransportation.

Whileallofthesestepsareimportant,theyaren’tenough.Globally,werelyonahugenetworkoftrucks,trains,ships,andplanestotransportourfood,clothing,andmaterialgoods.Thepurchaseswemakecontributeagreatdealtoglobalwarming,astheproductswebuyaremostlymassproducedandhavetraveledhundredsofmiles to reachyourshoppingbag.Wecanwork tocombat thisproblemby“eatingandbuying locally,”purchasingproductsgrownandmadeinandnearyourcommunity—andencouragingstorestocarryproductsfromlocal farmsandvendors.Byrelyingmoreonour localcommunitiesandreducingtheneedforglobalshipping,wecanbegintoreduceourcarbonfootprint.

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1. Wereyoufamiliarwithmassproductionandits impactsonclimatechangebeforereadingthistoolkit?Whataresomethingsyoulearned?Whataresomethingsthataren’tmentioned?

2. Theconditionsthathumansandanimalsfaceinfactoryfarmshavebeenpublicformanyyears.Whyaretheseabusesabletocontinue?

3. Whatdoyouthinkweshoulddotoreduceourdependenceonfactoryfarms?

4. Whataresomeexamplesofbooks,TV,films,andothermediathatusedeforestationandotherformsofenvironmentaldestructionintheirstory?Whatisthemessageofthesefilms?Dotheyprovideviewerswithclearsolutionstotheproblemstheyfeature?

5. Whenwereducehabitatsizethroughdeforestation,wheredoyouthinktheanimalsgo?

6. Ifweknowthatdeforestationcontributestoclimatechangeandotherenvironmentalproblems,whyhavewenotpursuedstrongersolutionstostopdeforestation?

7. What,ifanything,doesyourcommunitydotopreventclimatechangewhenitcomestotransportation?Whatwouldyouliketoseemoreof?

8. Whatdoyouthinkpeoplecandotodecreasetheirdependenceonproductsthatmustbetransportedlongdistances?

9. If you were to “eat local,” what types of foods would you have easy access to?What grows in yourcommunity?

10.Whataresomeactionsthatyouthinkindividualsshouldtaketofightclimatechange?Whataboutyourcommunity?Whataboutyourgovernment?

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• Research & Educate:Learnmoreaboutthemajorcausesofclimatechangeandeducateyourcommunitythrough tabling, posters, and socialmedia.Helppeopleunderstand thedifferencebetween individualchanges(likedrivingless)andsystemicchanges(likehowweproduceenergyandfood).

• Reduce Waste:Mostofanindividual’strashcomesfromdisposableitemsthataremassproducedtobethrownawayorunnecessarypackaging(thinkplasticbagsforindividualfruitsandvegetables,forexample).Byreducingthewasteyouconsume,youalsoreducenotonlytheamountofplasticandothermaterialthatendsupinourwatersystemsandlandfillsandwillneverdecompose,butyoualsoreducethedemandforthesekindsofitemstobemassproduced.Herearesomegoodguidesforgettingstarted:

» BeZero

» ZeroWasteHome

» GoingZeroWaste

• Go Local: Hostalocalfoodsdinnerforyourfriends,family,orchapter,anddiscusstherelationshipbetweeneatinglocalproducts,economics,andclimatechange.AlsocheckoutDinnerandSomeEd.

• Support Small Farms and Businesses: Supportingsmall localbusinessessupportsyour localeconomy,reducestheneedforshippingandburningfossilfuels,andsupportsfairlaborpractices.Findyourfarmer,supportstores,restaurants,andfarmers’marketsthatcarry localproducts,encourageotherstofollowtheirlead,andbuydirectlyfromfarmersandcreators.

• Learn More About Factory Farming & What You Can Do:

» LivesontheLine:theHumanCostofChicken

» UnitedFarmWorkers

» FarmworkerJustice

» FarmForward

» ASPCA

» MakeItPossible

» Farmsanctuary.org

» MeatlessMonday

• Fight Deforestation: SupportorganizationslikeIndigenousEnvironmentalNetwork,WorldWildlifeFund,andtheRainforestAlliance.

• Support Indigenous Communities:Researchtheindigenousculture(s)inyourlocalareaandthinkaboutwaysthatyourchaptercansupportnativepeoples.

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• Create a Mural: A“DoOneThing”muralcanhelpyourcommunityenvisionthechangestheycanmaketoreducetheirclimatefootprint.VisitAllianceforClimateEducationtolearnhowtocreatethiseasypapermuralandotherawesomeprojects.

• Advocate for Sustainable Transportation: Learnmoreabout the stateof sustainable,widelyavailablepublictransportationinyourcommunity,andtalktoyourlawmakers(checkoutourSPARKvideoseries)andcommunitymembersaboutitsimportance.Ifthisalreadyexists,useitandencourageotherstodothesame!

» CheckoutWikipedia’sglobalpublictransitadvocacycampaigns(andhelpitstayuptodate)

» NationalAllianceofPublicTransportationAdvocates

» AmericanPublicTransportAssociation

» VoicesforPublicTransit

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Throughout history, disasters have had a major impact on people, animals, and the environment. Somedisastersarenaturaleventsthatcausegreatdestruction:hurricanes,floods,andearthquakesareallexamplesofnaturaldisasters.Anothertypeofdisasterisenvironmental disaster:theseareeventscausedbyhumanactivitythathaveaseverelynegativeimpactontheenvironment.Oilspills,miningaccidents,nuclearevents,andclimatechangeareallexamplesofenvironmentaldisasters.

Whydoesenvironmentaldisasteroccur?Therearenumeroushumanfactorsthatcontributetoenvironmentaldisasters, including lackofknowledgeor foresight,greed,negligence, incompetence,accidents,andmore.Climatechangehasbeencausedbymanyofthese,froma lackofknowledgeatthestartofthe industrialrevolution,togreed,negligence,andrefusaltochangebyindividualsandindustriestoday.

Anenvironmental refugeeissomeonewhohasbeendisplacedfromtheirhomebyanaturalorenvironmentaldisaster.Someenvironmentalrefugeesaretemporarilyimpacted,suchaswhenCaliforniansmustevacuatetheirhomesduetoaforestfire.Otherenvironmentalrefugeesareimpactedpermanently.ManyformerNewOrleansresidentswhofledthecityduringHurricaneKatrinain2005losttheirhomes,neighborhoods,families,andlivelihoods,andasaresult,theyhaveneverreturned.

While therearemany factors that contribute toglobal conflicts, climatechange is at the rootof someofthebiggestrefugeecrisesofourtime. InSyria,climatechangecontributedtoamajordroughtthat lastedfrom2006–2011.Asfieldsdriedupandcropsdied,familiesthathadlivedintheruralareaandfarmedforgenerationswereforcedintothecitiestolookforworkandaid.Theinfluxofpeopleintoalreadycrowdedcitiesstressedresourcesandheightenedpoliticaltensions,leadingtoprotests,violentsuppressionfromthegovernment,andcivilwar.Today,thereareanestimated11millionSyrianrefugeesdisplacedwithinSyria,theMiddleEast,Europe,andaroundtheworld.

When environmental refugees flee violence and disaster,where do they go?Many hope to flee to othercountries,butsomenationsareunwillingorunabletosupporttheinfluxofrefugees.Poorernationsmaynothavethemoneytoproviderefugeeswithadequatefood,water,medicine,andshelter.Wealthynationsarevariedintheirresponse,butoftenlimitorclosetheirborderstorefugeesoutofunfamiliarity,fear,racism,andxenophobia(fearandhatredofstrangersorforeigners).

Asclimatechangecontinuestochangetheworld’sweather,people’slivelihoodsandsafetywillcontinuetobeinjeopardy.Environmentalrefugeeswillneedsafeplacestogowheretheycanbeginbuildingnewlives.Aswizardactivists,wecanencourageourcountriestobewelcomingtorefugees.Wecandothisinavarietyofways:Wecantalktomembersofourcommunityandourgovernmentstoletthemknowthatwewelcomerefugees,andwecanremindthemthatrefugeescontributeagreatdealtothecommunitiestheybecomeapartof.Wecanwelcomerefugeeswithcardsandeventswhentheyareinourcommunity.Wecanalsoraisemoneyfororganizationsthatworktoprotectrefugeesandencourageourgovernmentstodothesame.

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1. Wereyoufamiliarwiththedifferencebetweennaturalandenvironmentaldisasters?Whydoyouthinkthisdistinctionmightbevaluable?

2. Whataresomeenvironmentaldisastersthatyouarefamiliarwith?Canyouthinkofsomeofthecauses?

3. Whatkindofbarrierspreventpeoplefromleavingtheirhomecountries?

4. Whatdoyouthinkwouldbethehardestpartaboutmovingtoanewcountry?

5. Howdoestherefugeecrisisaffectyouandthelocalcommunity?

6. Doyouhaveanyfriendsorfamilymembersthatareimmigrantsorrefugees?Howhaveyoulearnedfromtheirjourneys?

7. Whatcomestomindwhenyouhearthewordrefugee?

8. Whataresomethingsyoucandotohelpmakeyourcountryandcommunitywelcomerefugees?

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• Learn:WithfriendsorwithyourHPAchapter,readanddiscussthiscomicontherelationshipbetweenSyriaandclimatechange.Then,checkoutAllDistrictsWelcome,aHunger Games-themedtoolkit thathelpsyoulearnaboutandsupportrefugees(createdbysomeoftheHPA’sEuropeanchapters).

• Advocate: HelpsupportorganizationsliketheSyriaCampaignandRefugeeActionworkingtoadvocateforplacesthathavebeenimpactedbyenvironmentaldisaster.

• Educate: Helpyourcommunityunderstandthebasicsaboutclimaterefugees.Youcandothisbyhostingevents,creatingposters,talkingaboutittothepress,givingapresentationatyourschool,andmuchmore!

• Contact Your Lawmakers:Oneofthebigquestionsforclimaterefugeesis“wherewilltheygo?”Whetheratthelocal,state/provincial,orfederallevel,letyourlawmakersknowthatyouwantyourcommunitytobeonethatwelcomesrefugees.FindouthowtogetstartedwithourSPARKvideoseries.

• Welcome:Ifyou’reinacountrythatiscurrentlybringinginrefugees,connectwitharefugeecentertowritecardswelcomingrefugeestoyourcountry,orparticipateinactivitieslikeairportgreetingsorotherwelcomingevents.Thereareoftenlegal,communityorsocial,andreligiousorganizationsinmanytownsthatworktohelpimmigrantsorrefugees.FindinformationthroughorganizationsliketheInternationalRescueCommittee,theUnitedNationsRefugeeAgency,andImmigrantHope.

• Become (or Support) a Disaster Worker: LookintohowyoucanhelpinthewakeofadisasterbyvolunteeringwithordonatingtoorganizationslikeAllHandsVolunteers,PartnersinHealth,andNECHAMA.

• Donate: Localorganizationsthatsupportrefugeescanalwaysusedonationsofmoney,goods,andvolunteertime.Dosomeresearch(askyourlibrarian!)whatorganizationsinyourcommunityserverefugees.Contacttheseorganizationsdirectlytofindoutwhattheyneed.

• Lend:Kivaletsyougivesmallloanstorefugeeswhoarestartingbusinesses,goingtoschool,andrebuildingtheirlives.Youcanlendonyourown,orhostfundraiserstogetyourcommunitylending!

• Support families: Find out how to assist families with resettlement in your community through theInternationalRescueCommittee.