Knowledge Share Description
In order for complex life forms to survive on planet Earth, people—especially those of us responsible for contributing to climate changes and benefiting from global inequality—must make significant transformations to how we live at a basic level. Human survival depends on access to water and food. We have rightfully given considerable attention to these essential human needs. But we have given far less consideration to the equally essential human need to release excess water and food from our system through urination and defecation. The line of research that I am proposing here seeks to address issues of disproportionate water usage, and the dearth of dignified, sustainable sanitation options and systems. Ecological sanitation is a neglected area of consideration for environmental innovators. Excretory justice (a term I made up) is a helpful framework to analyze the power dynamics at play when addressing climate issues! If we don't deal with our crap, it has impacts. How might we "do to those downstream as we'd have those upstream do to us?"
We will explore:
myths and fears of compost toilets or alternatives to freshwater flush toilets
income inequality and sanitation access - defectatory injustice worldwide
social taboos and fears around speaking about shit and pee - this has implications on our relationship to our body and the earth
the victorian colonial history of the freshwater flush pedestal toilet
defecatory injustice in gaza as a result of the 16 year siege and current horrific assault has resulted in spread of disease and reduction in dignity
Cost
$35 - low income
$50 - standard
$75 - pay-it-forward (if you have financial abundance, this is our pay-it-forward option to fund our full tuition scholarships)
For more information on sliding scale please check out this amazing work!
The zoom link will be sent upon registration. Recording will be available for 30 days.
Please apply here for a scholarship.
Accessibility Information
Virtual Gathering
*ASR (automated) captioning provided
The knowledge share zoom link will be sent out immediately upon purchase, along with any other necessary information.
Wednesday September 11, 2024
5:00pm - 7:00pm Eastern Standard Time
Class will be recorded and available for 30 days. This means you can join from anywhere in the world.
Facilitator
Sarah Nahar (she/her) is a nonviolent action trainer and interspiritual theologian. Now as a PhD candidate in Syracuse, New York (Haudenosaunee Confederacy traditional land) she focuses on ecological regeneration, community cultivation, and spiritual activism. Previously, Sarah was a 2019 Rotary Peace Fellow and worked at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a member of the Carnival de Resistance and has been the Executive Director of Community Peacemaker Teams and a board member with Buddhist Peace Fellowship. She attended Spelman College, majoring in Comparative Women’s Studies and International Studies, minoring in Spanish. She has an MDiv from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in her hometown.