Stephanie Wolfe

ENSU 384S
December 12, 2017
Philosophy and Theory of Social Change
I. Service Learning

My service learning organization is Monterey Regional Waste Management District

(MRWMD) in Marina. In my Environmental Studies Intro class we took a field trip to the
landfill, or as some refer to it “environmental park”. It was impressive to see how much waste
they were able to take and reuse as resources. I had volunteered for the Zero Waste Move out
held on campus last spring and was amazed at how many salvageable items students get rid of at
the end of the year. I really enjoyed this experience and wanted to further my knowledge on
waste management which is why I was eager to get in contact with Kimberlee Herring, my
supervisor to see what opportunities I could get involved in.

MRWMD mission is too environmentally and cost effectively turn waste into resources
to benefit the communities on the peninsula which they serve. Their work is important to ensure
the wellbeing of future generations by operating in a sustainable manner. They cover Marina,
Seaside, Sand City, Del Rey Oaks, Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove and
unincorporated areas in Big Sur. The socio-economic demographics of those who work and serve
for MRWMD are primarily white or Hispanic but includes a small percentage of Asian and
African Americans. The organization’s staff are also primarily White or Hispanic/Latino.
I believe my site is mainly focused on an environmental issue because they are trying to
reduce waste for future generations that are too young to have the knowledge and skill-set to
advocate for waste diversion. Through their programs, waste the landfill has not been maxed out
and the community is not overrun with trash. In addition, my site is preventing marginalized
communities, such as developing nations that receive excess waste to sort through as a low
income job from being exposed to injustice. Through their work they benefit many communities
by reusing materials to reduce the amount of waste ending up in the landfill.

My site’s approach to addressing injustices synthesizes environmental and ecological

justice goals. I volunteer to promote love for the environment by appreciating her resources and
stressing to the community the condition of the planet relies on every individual. Incorporating
issues impacting the peninsula, community members feel more sensitive and personally
impacted. This empowers them to recognize the injustice being done and take action to stop it.

The issues my service learning site addresses can be categorized as structural injustice
that is morally justified because it breaks cultural norms against how resourceful landfills are.
People often mistake MRWMD as just a dump that disposes everything in the landfill when in
reality it is so much more advanced and sustainable than your average “dump”. They’ve been
working for decades towards changing the cultural idea that waste is useless once disposed.
Because there a cultural norms restricting these injustices, I identified it as a morally justified
injustice.

I believe my service learning site is addressing injustices caused by slow violence. The
MRWMD aims to divert waste from ending up in the landfill by sorting through it and using
waste as resources. They are thinking of the future by aiming to divert trash from the landfill.
These efforts are to lessen our carbon footprint by creating renewable energy, reusing
salvageable items, preventing hazardous waste getting into our environment, and using food
scraps for compost. Through these programs, MRWMD is extending the lifespan of the
community’s landfill. This will ensure a healthier, cleaner environment for future generations.
My experience with Sustainable Carmel and Sustainable Carmel can also be viewed as action
against slow violence. The accumulation of plastic waste has heavily polluted marine and
terrestrial environments for decades now. Only now are we implementing policies to for
businesses to switch to paper straws and biodegradable takeout ware.

To change the cultural norm that landfills bury all the waste they receive MRWMD has
numerous programs to reuse what people have thrown out. They have an anaerobic digester that
turns food scraps into energy. In the last 20 years, their Materials Recovery Facility has diverted
an estimated 1.6 million tons of recycled and reusable materials from ending up in the landfill.
Their Last Chance Mercantile is a popular thrift shop full of items saved from the landfill. To
address structural injustices of single use takeout ware, initiatives to replace products with more
ecofriendly materials that can be broken down by the earth introduced. These efforts have
contributed to breaking down structural injustices.

My experience is one of Empowerment brought on by immersing myself in Communities

for Sustainable Monterey County (CSMC) and devoting my time towards efforts to promote an
important environmental issue affecting my region. Working with cities on the peninsula to
adopt a “Serve upon Request” straw policy and switch to compostable or biodegradable takeout
ware, I was able to encourage individuals that their small actions are a part of a bigger
movement. CSMC is a grassroots organization that has shown how it takes a community of
support to bring about important change. Through outreach I was able to provide the community
with knowledge and explain the importance of this ordinance and how it will help protect the
fragile sanctuary in Monterey Bay. Learning about how much litter ends up in our bay strikes a
nerve with community members and empowers them to want to join the movement. Being
personally empowered I can see how it is such a valuable tool in promoting social change
because it really brings the motivation close to heart. This is my community making these
changes and it is really exciting to be able to contribute to the efforts as much as I can.

To enhance individual’s capabilities with other species, my site works to conserve the
environment of surrounding communities. This ensures one's ability to live with concern and in
relation to the world of nature. MRWMD actively demonstrate service for change and equality in
relation to others. Remen establishes service as seeing life holistically, and recognizing
relationships with those we serve as equals. To create change, members of my organization use
their experiences and passion for the environment to serve communities on the peninsula.

Under Kahne and Westheimer classifications my service learning organization focuses on

social change. According to their service learning goals, MRWMD is morally caring for the
community by politically advocating for social reconstruction. The intellectual experience was
transformative because it expanded my knowledge on the social dynamics of battling
environmental injustices.

I strongly support the definitions of academic and community knowledge as explained by

Alex in VCC 4. Academic knowledge is information gathered via secondhand sources and
resources. It is obtained through the discussion of concepts amongst peers and intellects that
have not directly experienced these themes or topics. On the other hand, community knowledge
would be information gathered via direct sources and resources. Community members contribute
to the educational understanding and processes amongst the population. Community members
who are able to propose new public policies, solutions, and overall education are practicing the
act of community knowledge to come up with solutions to better their livelihoods.

To some extent, my service learning site practices academic and community knowledge
synergy in their work. When going out tabling, I am provided with academic knowledge to relay
to the community. In return, I receive various feedback from community members on their
awareness and knowledge of the issue. Taking responses back to supervisors, we can devise
better outreach material that reflects what the site and community members both know.
Conducting a survey for restaurants in Pacific Grove, we had numerous drafts, edited each time
we went out and canvassed about straw usage to update it to better address business owners
concerns.

One of the most important things I learned from service learning is there are a lot of
people fighting for this planet. More often than not I feel like it’s an uphill battle to get people to
understand how and why it’s important to save the Earth. During my volunteer experience I was
able to walk in Camel’s Birthday Parade to support the passing of the ordinance banning single
use take out ware used by food businesses. It was a very enlightening experience to walk among
members of the community including kids from the Carmel River School all in support of this
initiative. Through this experience I really felt empowered to participate in more work for
remaining cities on the peninsula to adopt the same policy to ensure a clean environment for
future generations. I now understand the importance of connecting people who are advocating
for the same cause to induce a movement for change among communities.
II. Personal Philosophy and Theory of Social Change
 My philosophy of social change supports linking local knowledge with academic
knowledge as a means to effectively address ecological issues that ultimately impact the
environment. Empowering individuals is a key component and can be reached through a change
in mindset by the following ideas.
1. Gratitude and respect for Earth’s and its resources that supports life

2. Acknowledging one's capabilities and repercussions brought on by actions to reach these

capabilities

3. Developing an acquired skillset to communicate with others from various backgrounds in

an impactful way.

Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Wangari Maathai known for her work in the Green Belt
Movement, incorporates Earth in many of her principles. Her theory has helped me develop my
philosophy by changing the way I think and perceive my own interactions with the environment.
Her idea that healing Earth’s wounds will help heal human wounds led to my adoption of
ecological and environmental synergy component of social change. She states, destroying what is
essential to life destroys life itself. Like Maathai I believe taking care of ecological problems will
result in reduced environmental issues. My philosophy that without a clean, healthy environment
humans cannot survive mimics Maathai’s belief that in “degrading the environment...we degrade
ourselves and all humankind”. We depend on the planet for resources to meet a plethora of basic
and essential needs. She references humans as custodians of God’s creations and stresses the dire
need to respect the Earth and view the environment as sacred. If we live in damaged
environments with poisoned drinking water, degraded soil, polluted air, we are ultimately
damaging ourselves as well. Like Maathai, I believe synergizing the two would be more effective
when trying to promote social change.

Maathai incorporates gratitude and respect in the GBM which ultimately influenced my
own philosophy. I think gratitude makes people feel more appreciative and aware of the
blessings from Earth. With this consciousness I believe they will act in a more respectable
manner towards the planet and the resources she provides. Additionally, Maathai uses
empowerment as a tool for motivation for individuals to unleash their potential. From my own
experience at my service learning and reading Maathai’s values, I adopted the Empowerment
component of social change because I’ve seen the spark it can ignite within people.

An important component of my philosophy is having the competence to socialize with

individuals from all cultural groups. I think good communication skills and competence are
important to bring about social change but need to be simultaneously practiced while using other
strategies to engage with other cultures. Peaceful activist Paul Kival stresses the need to
acknowledge the culture of power while interacting with members of other cultures. Mindful
listening and self-awareness can build a sensible context on how to communicate with others.
Observing and being aware of our culture groups help to better navigate conversations and
interactions with a wide range of individuals.

Chinese philosopher, Grace Lee Boggs analyzes the short falls of separately using
academic and community knowledge to relay information, suggesting synergizing the two to
create more sustainable knowledge that better addresses the mutual needs of a community. I
agree that the value of community based knowledge is relevant to academic knowledge because
both parties are addressing similar issues, and with different backgrounds individuals can learn
from each other to create stronger methods to make changes where it is most necessary.
Sustainable knowledge can be achieved by synergizing knowledge acquired by academics and
community members. Sustainable knowledge is a long term commitment made by intellectuals,
scholars, professors and other higher level thinkers to work hands on within a community. They
jump start ideas and develop policies in order to create a community that can preserve on their
own and be able to support future generations. Locals become involved and more aware of
actions in their community instead of being objectified and belittled by the presence of academic
researchers.

Iris Young, an admired Political Science professor who taught at the University of
Chicago exposes the partial structure our nation has been built on due to a collection of
individuals acting in their own interests. Structural injustice explains how the framework of
society has made it more difficult for certain individuals to reach their full capabilities. Being
exposed to this construct was beneficial to more accurately respond to inequalities in society. It
is a powerful idea because it is challenging the status quo, and identifying injustices already set
in place that need to be broken down. The reality of structural injustice that is the crutch of
numerous social and ecological issues is more than enough motivation to rework the structure.
I’ve been enlightened by Young’s philosophy and can fully grasp how an abundance of choices
made by various people each concerned with only their wellbeing in mind, has ultimately caused
these obstacles. By being aware of the frameworks in society working against specific groups of
individuals, one is able to address and create solutions for issues that will be more effective and
beneficial to the targeted community. The knowledge is useful to know in order to directly
address the targeted communities.

Rob Nixon, professor of Environmental Studies at Princeton has theorized calamites

taking shape not only over space, people, or resources but also over time. Slow violence is unlike
immediate and explosive violence, gradually worsening it is out of sight and of little concern in a
fast pace world. My perspective has changed after reading Nixon’s slow violence because I was
able to understand how current environmental and ecological issues originated. Most of our
readings have a particular group or community that is targeted by decisions of affluent, powerful
nations. Nixon was able to further broaden my perspective by making me consider how decisions
made by more powerful nations in the past have been crippling developing nations for decades
through slow violence. The reading uses a broader perspective to reveal evidence of abuse we
did not realize we were inflicting. The theory of slow violence similarly states the lack of
consideration we have toward damage we will cause in the future. Slow violence has disastrous
repercussions expanded on a temporal scale leading people to be oblivious until it is presented in
a destructive manner. For these reasons I believe it an important construct to be aware of so
individuals can think more critically about long term effects of policies and decisions.

Christopher Lebron, an active writer focused on African American studies and political
ethics was able to reveal how ulterior motives behind government leaders have established
disproportional standings in society. The idea of hypocrisy is an uneven balance of power, as if
saying the standards I set applies to you, while I am exempt from holding myself to the same
guidelines. Lebron argues such an imbalance in a relationship is unethical and cannot withstand.
In RCC 6 Rene elaborates on hypocrisy by explaining it is an establishment’s inconsistent
viewpoint based on prejudice or bias opinions. I have come to define hypocrisy as the majority
creating an uneven platform with different sets of standards that they don’t necessarily regard but
expect minorities to obey. The construct of hypocrisy was powerful to me and exposed an
entirely new side of politics I was not completely aware of. Making it apparent the prejudices
that powers actions in society can fuel individuals to take a stand against it and push for social
change.

I think structural injustice, slow violence, and hypocrisy constructs complement each
other and create a more holistic depiction of how injustices begin to take shape. Structural
injustice explains how the framework of society has made it more difficult for certain individuals
to reach their full capabilities. The framework which limits these individuals is analyzed through
hypocrisy which accuses officials of creating unfair laws and policies with a prejudice viewpoint.
This has ultimately created problems described by slow violence that were the creation of long
term effects from prior action. Hidden agendas behind people in any sort of power have fueled
underlying inequalities that are responsible for several issues facing by today’s society.

American philosopher Martha Nussbaum known for establishing the central capabilities
of every individual slightly impacted my philosophy. Under her theory everyone is entitled to a
number of capabilities. I adopt the list of capabilities presented by Nussbaum but believe
individuals should hold themselves accountable for injustices, whether they be unintentional or
overt that are products of actions taken to reach their capabilities. Nussbaum holds the
government responsible for protecting and fostering these capabilities. Under my philosophy I
theorize that every individual shares this responsibility. Influenced by David Miller, author of
National Responsibility and Global Justice, I believe acting with a responsible conscious can
better ensure every individual is able to meet their own capability. People being aware of their
own actions that fuel injustices can help reduce the structures that support them.

I reject Ayn Rand’s altruistic philosophy because I believe it is outdated and views
humans should act in a selfish manner. I find her ideas unattractive and different from my own.
I’m very close with my family and I don't think that my love for them or the sacrifices I have
made or would make could amount to a blank check signed over to them as Rand would believe.
When referenced like that I think it devalues my own choice and awareness to actively decide
when and what sacrifices I will make. I’m not blindly investing to choose them over me in every
scenario. However, saving one of my family members would be because I need them and they
are important to my happiness.

My personal history and childhood experiences have shaped my philosophy of social

change in a number a ways. Being 1 of 5 children has provided me with a place in a tight knit
group that has always provided a lot of support. Having a big family has made me aware of the
importance of sharing and limiting what I take so there is enough for others. My Mom had a
strong influence on my appreciation of nature and the beauty in simplicity. Her Native American
roots were evident in her values, teaching me to give more than I take and act in a kind and
respectful manner to all walks of life. My Dad is an assertive man, constantly pushing me to be a
go getter, to be a doer. He may initially seem stern but acts with so much heart, even in the
absence of appreciation.
A majority of my childhood I was a Girl Scout and was lucky to experience a variety of
outdoor adventures. My favorite excursion was camping which is still one of my favorite
activities to do with my mom and siblings. Before leaving each trip, my troop leader always had
us go over the campsite and pick up pieces of litter to ensure we left it cleaner than we found it.
My personal history, identities, and current circumstances have enabled me to interact with
people and my environment in an open minded manner.

My classmates were able to provide a safe and welcoming environment where different
cultures, morals, and personal philosophies were discussed. Taking away from their reflection I
the evident presence of compassion in service learning work and the ability it has to better one's
experiences. My peers reinforced my belief that respect among individuals can create a more
effective social setting.
III. Personal Action and Responsibility

In my life I hope to become an environmental biologist and work with a variety of

agencies and institutions to adopt to more sustainable practices to ensure the wellbeing of our
planet's future. The specialized skills and knowledge required of my career include;
Environmental science, Ecology, soil science, watershed sciences, environmental law and policy,
economics, and sustainable development, waste diversion, political process, communication
skills, community outreach, program organizer, data analysis, Nature appreciation, mapping in
GIS, ecological relationships between plants and animals.

Using my skills I can address marginalized communities being impacted by

environmental injustices. For example, underdeveloped nations are feeling the impacts of climate
change due to wealthy nations consuming and burning fossil fuels at unprecedented rates. I can
advocate policies that help advocated for new structure being built in my community to be
powered with renewable energy. I will be addressing structural injustices maintained by the
cultural norm of that Earth has infinite space and resources for human consumption and disposal.
Wealthy nations would be the privileged groups that continue to support framework that
disregards environmental wellbeing of others less fortunate than them.

Using my knowledge and awareness I can attend city council meetings to publically take
action against cultural norms that fuel climate change. Single use takeout ware supports this
norm and with the knowledge that the planet does not have infinite space for human waste, I felt
it was important to take action to try and decrease the amount being produced. Based on the litter
found around neighborhoods in my community, it was evident the number of plastic takeout
ware was a huge contributor. Takeout ware includes cups, cutlery, plates, or straws and are
typically only used once but take centuries to break down. To address this problem, fellow
environmentalists and I are working towards a plastic free California. We want businesses to do
their part and offer compostable or biodegradable takeout ware and serve straws upon request.
By showing businesses their support for the Last Plastic Straw movement, consumers are
changing the demand allowing the market to start supplying more ecofriendly takeout ware. In
addition, working towards passing ordinances in cities of different counties across the state, we
can put a halt to the insane pollution of single use plastic. In the upcoming decades we will have
maxed out space in landfills and need to create solutions to foster a sustainable future. In the
future I could use my knowledge to confirm I’m working towards something that is enhancing a
community's capability to experience a better human livelihood for generations to come.

A structural ecological injustice I can address with my skillset is the damage human
actions cause to ecosystems. For example, heavy pesticide use has created massive dead zones in
the Gulf of Mexico completely destroying all plants and animals in the perimeter. This would be
a morally acceptable injustice because the cultural norm of using pesticides to increase crop yield
helps feed millions of people. However this also qualifies as slow violence because heavy use of
fertilizers for many decades has created these large dead zones. Public action I can take to break
down these cultural norms is to educate individuals on how to compost or grow their own fruits,
vegetables, and herbs. This decreases the amount of people dependent on buying heavily treated
produce that pollute the water system.

In our society today I think we do have a political responsibility to speak up when harm
is being done. We are lucky enough to speak freely and have the ability to protest in the US.
With the leadership we are currently under, it is imperative we continue to make efforts to
publically organize against ecological wrongdoings committed by large, powerful institutions.
The internet has also provided a network of resources for individuals to further investigate and
educate themselves on current events. Knowledge facilitates awareness and creates movements
in society because blindly standing by and doing nothing can be dangerous. Due to my
professional capacity I have a responsibility to educate the community on the consequences
human actions have on the environment. Additionally, because I benefit from particular
injustices, I have a responsibility to acknowledge and respond to my contribution to
wrongdoings.
IV. References

Boggs, G.L. 2011. Appendix: A Report by Grace Lee Boggs, Participant Observer. In Bryant, B.
(Ed.), Environmental Crisis or Crisis of Epistemology: Working for Sustainable
Knowledge. Garden City, NY: Morgan James Publishing.

Kahne, J. and Westheimer, J. 1996. In Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning. The
Phi Delta Kappan 77(9):592-599.
Kival, P. 2004. The Culture of Power. Conflict Management in Higher Education Report. 5(1).

Lebron, C. 2015. Hypocrisy Democracy: Liberal Philosophy and the Challenge of Racial
Equality. The Critique.
Miller, D. 2007. National Responsibility and Global Justice. New York: Oxford University
Press.

Maathai, W. 2010. Replenishing the Earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the
World. New York: Double Day.

Nixon, R. 2011. Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press.

Nussbaum, M. 2011. Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach. Cambridge,

MA: Harvard University Press.
Rand, A. 1964. The Virtue of Selfishness. New York: Signet.
Remen, R.N. 1999. Helping, Fixing or Serving? Shambhala Sun.
Young, I.M. 2011. Responsibility for Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.