Mission: Healthy Earth, Smith Alumnae Quarterly Special Issue

How the Smith community is fighting to save our planet

Editor’s note: TIME TO ACT

The words of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg woke up the world: “Our house is on fire,” she said, demanding that we act accordingly. And last fall, more than 11,000 scientists—including Smith’s Jesse Bellemare, associate professor of biological sciences—signed on to a report declaring “a climate emergency.” In a story in The Washington Post, Bellemare called the crisis a “major, even existential, threat to human societies, human well-being and biodiversity.”

For its part, Smith College declared 2019–20 as the Year on Climate Change, to encourage the campus community to deepen its understanding of the crisis. Dozens of speakers at a major conference in October helped us grasp that solutions are complex, interconnected and imperative.

We at the Quarterly share this sense of urgency and are proud to present a special issue that calls on the wisdom of the entire Smith community—alumnae, faculty, students and staff—to frame the problems, present solutions and share their fears. One message comes through loud and clear: We’re all in this together.—Elise Gibson

In This Issue

Creating Climate Leaders: A Planet in Crisis Demands our Best. A Letter from President Kathleen McCartney
From hundreds of new courses to new academic centers, Smith is galvanizing its resources to prepare a generation of leaders in the fight against climate change. 

PART ONE: ASKING THE BIG QUESTIONS

Whose turn is it to clean up the atmosphere? 
We all share the same air, so we must all take responsibility. Or lose everything. By Lisa S. Gardiner ’95

I thought I was doing enough. But am I? 
Our future looks frightening. The antidote to that despair is action. By Anne-Christine Strugnell ’84

How can communities adapt to a changing world? 
Creating a resilience plan can lay the groundwork for cities and regions to face their vulnerabilities. By Aimée Christensen ’91

How does climate change uniquely threaten women? 
Gendered violence and deprivation in poor communities will accompany climate change catastrophes. By Carrie Baker

Have we come to this: Survival of the richest? 
The world’s poor majority faces a dire future—unless the people exert their collective power. By Sarina Prabasi ’95

Can sustainable investments make a difference? 
Investing in promising climate solutions may secure your future—and the planet’s. By Emily Dwyer ’13

Species are dying every day. Can we stem the loss? 
Citizen scientists can start by pitching in and sharing what we observe in our own backyards. By Mary Ellen Hannibal ’81

PART TWO: SUSTAINABILITY AT SMITH

Farm-to-Smith eating 
Smith is on the leading edge of sustainability initiatives in college and university dining. By Christina Barber-Just

Goal: Net zero 
From solar power to ground-source heat exchange technology, Smith is forging a path to carbon neutrality.

Look up from your carbon footprint 
Individual efforts matter, but to move the needle we need to change systems and policies. By Alex Barron

Lessons of Earth Day 1970 
Fifty years after the first Earth Day, are college campuses doing enough? By Camille Washington-Ottombre

Food as fellowship 
A new study aims to identify potential improvements in Smith dining facilities, locations and hours.

Tackling grand challenges in the classroom 
When it comes to solving climate problems, students find there are no easy fixes. By Elise Gibson

Smith’s climate commitment 
Numbers tell the story as the college provides environmental leadership in academics and in the physical campus.

Save our native plants 
When invasive species take over, entire ecosystems become vulnerable. By Cheryl Dellecese

Neilson Library’s sustainable future 
With cutting-edge technology and an eco-friendly design, Neilson will be among the highest-performing libraries.

Art of persuasion 
Environmental science and policy students try their hand at newspaper op-eds to argue for climate remediation.

PART THREE: ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS

Her climate superpower? Optimism 
Shazia Khan ’98 brings affordable clean energy to rural communities in Pakistan. By Samantha Paige Rosen ’12

A force of nature
Landscape architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander ’44 is a global leader in sustainable design. By Ann Leone ’71

Greening the city
Jessie Banhazl ’06 creates organic food gardens in cities throughout the Northeast. By John MacMillan

The Big Apple’s eco champion
Environmental scientist Marjorie Clarke ’75 has made New York City shine. By Laura Begley Bloom ’91

Power of the sun
Community solar advocate Emily Robichaux ’05 works to make solar energy available to all. By Tom Kertscher

This is the Spring 2020 issue of the Smith Alumnae Quarterly.

Illustration by Melinda Beck