Environmental Justice

Photo credit (CC license): Annette Bernhardt

What is Environmental Justice?• A social movement that demands fair

distribution of environmental benefits and burdens.– What about this image suggests environmental

injustice?

Photo credit (CC license): Marianne de Wit

History of Environmental Justice• 1982

– Warren County, North Carolina– A rural, low-income, predominantly black community – Chosen by state lawmakers to host a toxic waste

landfill.

Why do you think areas dominated by minorities and the poor are sites chosen for the disposal of hazardous waste?

Photo credit: Ricky Stilley; used with permission.

History of Environmental Justice

• 1990 – the University of Michigan's School

of Natural Resources holds the first conference on race and environmental hazards

– EPA establishes its Workgroup on Environmental Equity

History of Environmental Justice

• 1991 – First National People of Color Environmental

Leadership Summit

• attended by more than 650 grassroots organizations and more than 300 environmental groups

History of Environmental Justice

• 1994– President Clinton signs into law Executive

Order 12898 to provide federal actions to address environmental justice in minority populations and low-income populations

History of Environmental Justice

• Increased awareness of environmental injustice has led environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club, Audubon Society, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace to recruit more minorities as members and leaders of their organizations.

• How might the involvement of people of color in traditional organizations help the cause of environmental justice?