Monday, November 30, 2009
Announcement: Kick Off of Week-Long Fast Today!
Starting tonight (Monday, Nov. 30) at 7pm, five students will begin a week-long fast leading up to the start of the Copenhagen conference on December 7th. This fast is in conjunction with the Williams College rolling fast, in which students will fast for 24 hours. With every day filled, the week-long fasters will be joined December 7th by a larger contingency of students who will all fast on this historic day to urge their leaders to take bold action on the issue of climate change.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The Ripple Effect
by Sara Dorsey '12
A while ago I would have been doubtful as to the effectiveness of fasting for climate justice. What in the world can refusing food do for the climate when there is so much food going to waste in our country every day? How does me being hungry change the fact that our culture seems totally unaware of its own overconsumption and unnecessary waste?
But what else could I do? I’ve done what I can to change my own habits; but I can’t make anyone else change theirs – that would be immoral – and the biggest changes seem impossible without others. So I went hungry for a day as a participant in Williams College rolling fast for climate justice as part of the larger movement, Climate Justice Fast!, and was pleasantly surprised.
My friends didn’t know about my decision until the day of the fast, so when I told them I wasn’t eating this past Thursday they seemed a little shocked. They enjoy food just as much as I do (which is to say, a lot). Later in the day, one of them asked me why I was participating in the fast. I answered her, probably rather inarticulately, that fasting is a way of reminding people how serious climate change is and that, even though we aren’t seeing its most harmful effects here, it is a huge injustice to those living in developing countries and other vulnerable areas. Fasting is a way of demonstrating dedication to changing our own habits and showing our leaders that we acknowledge that sacrifices need to be made to solve the problem that we’ve created.
The past few days I’ve noticed that the lights in our common room have been off much more frequently when no one is around. My suitemates have been reusing the disposable cups that they’d taken from the dining hall. Today we walked to the farmers market in the field house and bought local vegetables and fruit instead of making our biweekly trip to the grocery store.
There are many reasons to fast for climate justice; if anyone asks me again, I’d probably give them the same answer I gave my friend (hopefully more articulately) but I have a better reason now – the ripple effect.
A while ago I would have been doubtful as to the effectiveness of fasting for climate justice. What in the world can refusing food do for the climate when there is so much food going to waste in our country every day? How does me being hungry change the fact that our culture seems totally unaware of its own overconsumption and unnecessary waste?
But what else could I do? I’ve done what I can to change my own habits; but I can’t make anyone else change theirs – that would be immoral – and the biggest changes seem impossible without others. So I went hungry for a day as a participant in Williams College rolling fast for climate justice as part of the larger movement, Climate Justice Fast!, and was pleasantly surprised.
My friends didn’t know about my decision until the day of the fast, so when I told them I wasn’t eating this past Thursday they seemed a little shocked. They enjoy food just as much as I do (which is to say, a lot). Later in the day, one of them asked me why I was participating in the fast. I answered her, probably rather inarticulately, that fasting is a way of reminding people how serious climate change is and that, even though we aren’t seeing its most harmful effects here, it is a huge injustice to those living in developing countries and other vulnerable areas. Fasting is a way of demonstrating dedication to changing our own habits and showing our leaders that we acknowledge that sacrifices need to be made to solve the problem that we’ve created.
The past few days I’ve noticed that the lights in our common room have been off much more frequently when no one is around. My suitemates have been reusing the disposable cups that they’d taken from the dining hall. Today we walked to the farmers market in the field house and bought local vegetables and fruit instead of making our biweekly trip to the grocery store.
There are many reasons to fast for climate justice; if anyone asks me again, I’d probably give them the same answer I gave my friend (hopefully more articulately) but I have a better reason now – the ripple effect.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Williams CJF Team Day 1
This is Jen here and I am super excited to start off this blog. My first day of solidarity fasting this Friday began at 5:45 when I got up to cook for Log Lunch, Williams College's environmental lunch held every Friday. Cooking for the Log was different this week because I wasn't tasting everything along the way; I am usually a shameless cookie-dough pilferer.
I returned to the Log at noon to make an announcement about the Williams rolling fast. I must say that I was very tempted by the rolls and pecan cookies. But the kick I got from turning them down was better than the momentary pleasure of eating; I realized that I had a will that was strong enough to resist food.
This revelation helped me understand the true power of fasting. By demonstrating the power of the human will, the long-term fasters are showing humanity it's true strength. Fasting refutes the idea that we somehow too weak to overcome our individual greed, to make our societies just, or to live sustainably. The long-term fasters have inspired me to dream of and work toward of a world that before I had been afraid to voice for fear of sounding naive. Now I can say that my vision is shared by a strong and amazing community of people who will do all in their power to realize a just world.
Later in the day, I received 3 more e-mails from students who heard my announcement at the Log and wanted to join the fast. I can't express how encouraged it made me feel that there are now 45 students just in my own college who are willing to publicly show and act upon their commitment for climate justice. I could not have imagined a better kick-off.
I returned to the Log at noon to make an announcement about the Williams rolling fast. I must say that I was very tempted by the rolls and pecan cookies. But the kick I got from turning them down was better than the momentary pleasure of eating; I realized that I had a will that was strong enough to resist food.
This revelation helped me understand the true power of fasting. By demonstrating the power of the human will, the long-term fasters are showing humanity it's true strength. Fasting refutes the idea that we somehow too weak to overcome our individual greed, to make our societies just, or to live sustainably. The long-term fasters have inspired me to dream of and work toward of a world that before I had been afraid to voice for fear of sounding naive. Now I can say that my vision is shared by a strong and amazing community of people who will do all in their power to realize a just world.
Later in the day, I received 3 more e-mails from students who heard my announcement at the Log and wanted to join the fast. I can't express how encouraged it made me feel that there are now 45 students just in my own college who are willing to publicly show and act upon their commitment for climate justice. I could not have imagined a better kick-off.
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