Huxley alumna to speak on grassroots campaigning June 4

WWU alumna Crina Hoyer from RE Sources for Sustainable Communities will discuss environmental grassroots campaigns at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 4 in Communications Facility 120 on the Western Washington University campus.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

Global energy consumption, currently estimated at 17 trillion kilowatt hours per year, is projected to grow to well over 30 trillion by mid-century, with most of this growth occurring in developing nations. To attain a sustainable global energy production free of intermittent shortages, security vulnerabilities, environmental degradation, and extreme costs requires the development of a variety of energy sources.

Residents of the Pacific Northwest are engaged in multiple defensive battles to protect our marine shores, fresh water resources, and community safety. Whatcom County is wrestling with a proposal to build North America’s largest coal export facility on the shores of Cherry Point. The threat of a disastrous oil spill or explosion looms large as area refineries import volatile crude via rail and pipeline. And tens of thousands of pounds of contaminants are flushed into the Puget Sound each year as polluted runoff.

These and other threats often seem insurmountable to community members who are left feeling powerless and without choices. In her talk titled "Offensive Remarks: Building public insistence and a bias for action," Ms. Hoyer will discuss how offensive, grassroots campaigns play a key role in galvanizing a community and achieving positive environmental outcomes.

Hoyer, who holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Education from Huxley College at WWU, is the Executive Director of RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, a Bellingham nonprofit organization. Under Ms. Hoyer's leadership, RE Sources launched the successful Power Past Coal campaign, grew from 4,000-18,000 supporters, and built the capacity to take on additional critical projects. RE Sources’ mission is to promote sustainable communities and protect the health of northwestern Washington’s people and ecosystems through the application of science, education, advocacy and action.

The presentation will include a question-and-answer period. Anyone interested in the topic is encouraged to attend and participate. This lecture is also part of the Alaska Airlines Speaker Series, made possible by a generous contribution to the WWU Institute for Energy Studies.
The Huxley College Speaker Series, sponsored by Western’s Huxley College of the Environment, is intended to bring together environmentally-minded members of the WWU and Bellingham communities. Speakers address topics of contemporary environmental concern in the region and the world.

WWU’s Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation and a recognized leader in producing the next generation of environmental professionals and stewards. Huxley’s distinctive, interdisciplinary curriculum reflects a broad view of the physical, biological, social, and cultural world, and has earned international recognition for quality.

For more information, please contact WWU’s Huxley College of the Environment at 360-650-2554.