Environmental Affairs Committee

Call to Order: In attendance were Ferris Kawar, Betsy Jordan, Abigail Oroosz, and Jon Huls	Public Comments:	We are in the midst of the Sustainability Week – theme is the UN Development Goals. It is all online, with former students as guest speakers. So far all is well.	The AS is discussing how to make new hires feel more welcome and assimmilated in the to SMC Community. Ferris has an intro packet for all new hires, informing them of all forms of public transportation, the EAC committee, and SW, etc.	Ongoing project with Patricia Ramos to capitalize on jobs related to the ocean economy (and sustainable use of the oceans).	Approval of Minutes: No minutes to approve	CalPRS/CalSTRS Divestment Request for FA, CSEA, and Management Assoc.: CA state employee pensions are investing in fossil fuels. According to the numbers, it will cause individual employees to lose several thousand dollars in their pensions. It also contributes to environmental racism and environmental desecration - which do not reflect the values of SMC. Ferris wrote an open letter requesting that we divest from fossil fuels and invest in more sustainable forms of energy. This will be more lucrative in the long run.	Racial Inequality on Campus: There has been a lot of talk about equity on campus, but there are still areas/blindspots where racial inequality still persists and go largely unexamined. One area is our pension investments – fossil fuel industries disproportionately negatively impact communities of color. Purchasing, in particular (in addition to our new hire), should reflect our commitment to sustainability and racial equality.	Ferris would love to provide short videos to on-ground staff so they understand the importance of recycling and sustainable practices. If anybody can recommend a short (2-3 min videos) covering such topics, please forward them!
Notes for 10.22.2020