25 Years of Ecofeminism in Action!

“WEN’s mission is to make the connections between women’s health and well-being and environmental issues. We want to inspire women to make environmentally informed choices about their health. WEN aims to empower women to become agents of change in their families, networks and society and to participate equally in an environmentally sustainable future. “

Feminism and Ecofeminism

• WEN’s vision is of an environmentally sustainable world in which we have achieved gender equality.

• Feminism and environmentalism go hand in hand

• Feminism asks the right questions about power and oppression and the links between the personal and the political

WEN’s Work

Campaigning• Gender and Climate

Change• Primary Prevention of

Breast Cancer• Bleaching of nappies

and sanitary items• GM

Workshops and resources• Chemicals in cosmetics• Re-usable menstrual

products• Real Nappies• Food growing

Gender and Climate Change work

• Women’s Manifesto on Climate Change (2007) with the WI

• Gender and the Climate Change Agenda (2010)

• Why Women and Climate Change

• Why Women and the Environment (2005)

Local Food Project:Why food growing?

Climate Change

- Local food reduces food miles-> CO2

- Organic food growing doesn’t rely on pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers- all derived from fossil fuels

Community cohesion

- Food brings people together across language, age and cultural barriers

Greening the city

-Increasing biodiversity- Improving access to good quality green space-City grows more of its own food and therefore reduces pressure on rural environments

Health and wellbeing

-Physical health: being active and eating fresh and organic food-Mental health/wellbeing: connection with nature, other people

Revaluing traditional skills

- Many people have the knowledge and skills to grow their own food (especially women) but these skills are routinely devalued in the mainstream economy and urban environments

Access to healthy food

- Cheaper than buying organic food

Gender- Working with BAME women- Non-controversial engagement- Combating social exclusion-- Covert feminist approach

• Introductory, free, participatory organic food growing training• Mostly BAME women in Tower Hamlets and Hackney• Facilitates a ‘safe space’ for peer-to-peer learning and sharing

• 1,400 members, including individuals, community groups, community gardens, Housing Associations, Council representatives, Public Health representatives

• 4 Seasonal Gatherings a year- workshops, stalls, talks, free lunch, Community Seed Library and tour of a local community garden

• Resource Directory- where to access compost, tools, seeds etc.

• Tower Hamlets Community Seed Library• Regular e-newsletters about food growing

events, training and opportunities in the borough and beyond

• Preserves rare or traditional varieties

• Pool of non-native seeds, preserving cultural heritage of migrant communities

• Preserves genetic variety• Communal resource• Catalyst for discussions

and action on seed issues e.g. GM

‘Gardens for Life’• TH Public Health

commissioned project to create 15 new community gardens

• We worked in partnership with 3 Registered Providers (housing associations) Eastend Homes, Poplar Harca and Tower Hamlets Community Housing

• Mixture of communal gardens and individual plots

‘Gardens for Life’

• Housing estates• Community centres• Hostels• Cubitt Town Library• Mulberry Girls’ School

Impact

• Funded from a health and wellbeing perspective

• Can have a big impact on food bills and access to healthy food- Mr Islam didn’t buy any vegetables for 3 months

• Rejuvenates derelict or neglected land

Ongoing support to community gardens

• Free advice, gardening training and regular support to community gardens throughout Tower Hamlets

• Community centres, mental health centres, hostels

What’s next?

Environmenstrual project

• Workshops with women and girls on healthy and re-usable alternatives

Therapeutic horticulture

- Women’s refuges- ‘Soil Sisters’

- City farms

Sustainable Fashion project

Our vision is of an environmentally sustainable world in which we have achieved gender equality

Join us!Become a WEN member!

http://www.wen.org.uk/support-wen/join-online/ WEN FILM

Questions?

www.wen.org.ukWEN.UK1988@WEN_UK

kate@wen.org.uk