Winter Lecture Series: The Green Amendment: Securing Our Right To A Healthy Environment

For decades, communities have relied on federal and state laws to ensure protection of a clean environment. And while achieving some important environmental protection successes, overall the health of our environment has continued to degrade from a growing number of sources. The truth is, our laws are designed to accommodate pollution as much as, perhaps even more than, to prevent it. As a result, people feel powerless when it comes to preserving the quality of their water, air, public parks and natural spaces. But there is a solution for achieving better, and much needed, protection of our environment: bypassing the laws and turning to the ultimate authority— our state and federal constitutions.
This lecture will discuss and inspire a new way of thinking about, and pursuing, environmental protection from both policy and legal perspectives.

Maya K. van Rossum is the long-time Delaware riverkeeper and leader for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. Using advocacy, science and litigation, the DRN works throughout the four states of the Delaware River watershed (NY, NJ, PA & DE) and at the national level. Her book, “The Green Amendment, Securing Your Right to a Healthy Environment,” was the 2018 Living Now Evergreen Awards GOLD Winner in the nature conservation category.