Tag: <span>environmental justice</span>

New EPA Pollution Standards: A Drive Towards Environmental Justice

Breathing clean air is a fundamental right. However, this has been denied to many low-income communities and communities of color, who often live in proximity to busy roads and highways, where vehicle emissions are at their highest. These communities have suffered historical injustices such as redlining and other class- and …

Temperatures are Rising in New York, and Policy is Playing Catchup

  Summers in New York City are unbeatable. They’re also unbearably hot, and, due to climate change, they’re getting hotter every year. An 80ºF day is characterized by the smell of hot garbage in the morning, sweltering heat during the day, and relentlessly muggy nights. In a city full of …

Flooding in Central Vietnam: an Environmental Justice Issue

In addition to its beautiful scenery, beaches, and historical sites, Central Vietnam is known for extreme flooding events that are both deadly and destructive. In 2020 alone, over 240 people were either killed or went missing due to a series of floods from October through November. Property losses were valued …

It’s Time to Make (Green) Amends

In February, 2023, sixteen youth will present their case in the first youth climate trial to go to hearing in the United States. Their claim? That Montana’s energy policy, which buys heavily into fossil fuels, threatens the clean and healthful environment to which they have a constitutional right. Montana’s youth …

The Murky Ethics and Complicated Environmental Claims of Big Hydro

As ongoing global reliance on fossil fuels continues to accelerate climate change, urgency and interest in transitioning to renewable energy sources is  increasing. A 2019 survey from the Pew Research Center found that most Americans believe the United States should prioritize expanding renewable energy sources over the continued use of …

The Mining Industry in Morocco: A Policy Paradox that Leaves Poor People Behind

Morocco holds 77% of the world’s total phosphate reserves and is the world’s largest phosphate exporter. The mining sector in Morocco, including copper and silver, represents 10% of Morocco’s GDP, with 90% coming from phosphates. Most extractive industry sites in Morocco are located in very poor villages where inhabitants are …

Environmental Education Deserts: The Silent Justice Issue

You’re sitting in a classroom as a sophomore in college. You’ve recently moved from your rural, inland city to a coastal community bordering Malibu, California. At 19 years old, you feel you have a good understanding of what the world is like, and will be like, for you and your …

From Flush to Flash: Wastewater as a hidden source of renewable energy toward environmental justice

We all produce waste, but where it goes next is often left out of the picture. For many, the path our waste takes after we discard it does not play a role in our daily lives. However, the massive amounts of waste we generate pose serious issues in terms of …

Not Under My Back Yard (NUMBY): Do You Really Own Your Property?

For the past several decades the US has pursued policies that promote energy independence and both energy and national security. As part of this pursuit, high volume hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technologies were first developed in the late 1940s by Halliburton, and its technological advances after the 1970s have rapidly increased oil …

Empowering a New Generation for a Stronger Economy & Ecosystem

Originally posted at: thegenynot.com Written by Dorthea Thomas When it comes to environmental justice, it’s about ensuring low-income, communities of color have equal access to clean air, water, and land.  Environmentalism, sustainable development, and labor are apart of the solutions to make the possibility of a better future for generations to …