With the climate crisis worsening, Queen’s Backing Action on Climate Change (QBACC) has changed their name to Queen’s Backing Action on the Climate Crisis to match the urgency of the threat.
QBACC co-chairs Aria Goldin and Natalie Woodland, both ArtSci ’22, sat down with The Journal to discuss the rebranding of their club.
“We are really trying to promote accurate language when speaking about the climate crisis. The fact of the matter is that saying global warming or climate change is no longer sufficient for our current predicament,” Woodland said in an interview with The Journal.
“We really are living in a crisis. We need to acknowledge that state of emergency.”
Woodland referred to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s(link is external) report released this summer. QBACC is currently working with several partners to ensure Queen’s is supporting climate solutions.
“Something I’ve been working quite closely with is the sustainable investment team. We work with Queen’s to make sure that their investments are sustainable,” she explained.
“There is currently a petition(link is external) going around for students to sign to include more climate consciousness within the University Pension Plan—that is, taking money out of fossil fuels and being responsible with our investment practices.”
QBACC also encourages sustainable initiatives and circular fashion cycles. They’re planning to open a clothing swap store in the JDUC. The club hopes to have this initiative up and running for the beginning of the Winter 2022 semester.
Goldin spoke to several other initiatives in the works—like a mandatory climate literacy program and a Picnic Bench proposal to encourage students to spend time with nature.
“We’re always looking for volunteers,” Woodland said, encouraging students to become active in climate action.(link is external)
The Journal asked QBACC about their absence from the Nov. 9 protests at a speaker event hosting the CEO of RBC—a company currently under fire for its funding of fossil fuels.
Woodland said, though QBACC agreed with the initiative taken by the climate action groups protesting, they chose not to connect themselves to the event.
“This was a student-run event, and we are not in the business of bashing other students or the hard work and effort they put into it,” Woodland said.
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