In celebration of Earth Day, people from all over the world have expressed gratitude for the natural environment and its plethora of beautiful ecosystems. Earth is an incredible place: its mountains, valleys, canyons, plains, and oceans are only a few of the intricate attractions that construct such a profound home for humans. The month of April has been heavily influenced by environmental justice due to the presence of Earth Day and its power in raising awareness for the vulnerable state of our planet. This globally observed holiday has seemingly created an ongoing campaign to address environmental issues including climate change, carbon emissions, green equity and a multitude of other ecological causes. 

The concept of climate change is not a term that has been coined for the twenty-first century; in fact, the earth’s climate has been a changing factor across the history of several millennia. The last ice age ended about 11,700 years ago, which was the beginning of the modern climate era and human civilization. The current global warming trend is of particular significance today because Earth’s temperature has climbed significantly over the past twenty years, increasing by about 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit since the nineteenth century. In order to truthfully comprehend the Earth’s climate crisis, it is important to question the validity of this information by doing a thorough analysis of the studies that have advanced modern global warming theories. Earth-orbiting satellites, spacecraft applications, and other technological advances have allowed scientists to see a bigger picture of the Earth’s climate on a global scale. It has been concluded from several research studies through NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and several more government agencies that carbon dioxide emission is the overriding root of this problem. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, have a heat-trapping effect; therefore, increasing gas emissions tends to spawn negative effects for the climate. With this knowledge of the Earth’s rising temperature, it is important to be aware of the detrimental effects this could have on the environment. Scientists predict that the Arctic will become completely devoid of ice during the summer time within the next thirty years, given the fact that we lose 13% of Arctic sea ice per decade. This large-scale melting will endanger coastal cities and small island nations by exacerbating coastal flooding and storm surges. There is also a wide array of different organisms and animal species living in the Arctic that will go extinct as a result. Sea levels are predicted to rise nearly ten feet by the year 2100 and this number will only increase exponentially as the climate continues to warm. These global issues affect humanity as a whole and in order to enact change, it is necessary to analyze the fundamental root of the problem.

Carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas that drives climate change, is at a record high in the atmosphere. By trapping heat from the sun, greenhouse gases have kept Earth’s climate habitable for humans; however, these gases are now out of balance and threaten to change the way in which we survive on this planet. Carbon emissions have far-ranging environmental and health effects including air pollution and respiratory damage. Extreme weather, food supply disruptions, and wildfires are also major effects of the greenhouse gas effect. Greenhouse gas levels are high because of human activity, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels. Virtually, every sector of the global economy including manufacturing, agriculture, power production, and transportation contribute to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Nations across the world acknowledged this issue at the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015; however, the change will have to be initiated by the three largest carbon-emitting countries in the world: China, India, and United States. The technologies for slowing emission of carbon dioxide have become more advanced in recent years. These advancements include swapping fossil fuels for renewable resources, boosting energy production and discouraging carbon emissions by taxing them. In addition to large-scale change, driven by world governments, individuals can play a role in addressing the climate issue by reducing their carbon footprints. There are a multitude of different methods for achieving this; however, the most tangible would be limiting air travel, opting to eat plant-based meals, using renewable-based heating, and reducing excess plastic waste. Unfortunately, the climate change crisis is just one of many environmental issues in the world; it is equally important to address challenges relating to green inequities in urban locations.

Urban green equity is broadly defined as equitable access to and governance of forestry in metropolitan cities. Although it is difficult to comprehend the idea of forestation affiliating with urban areas, the concept has become increasingly popular over the past decade. Public landscaping and urban forestry projects create mutually beneficial relationships between city residents and their environments. Urban greening helps combat issues such as air pollution, rainwater flooding, and lack of habitat for local wildlife. As climate change becomes a more prominent issue, architects and city planners have been exploring ways to create sustainable urban living. These installations provide vast amounts of oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, thereby decreasing carbon emissions and aiding the climate change crisis. In addition to atmospheric benefits, the presence of trees has been proven to reduce crime  because vegetation is often implicated as a screen for criminal activity. In fact, public housing residents with nearby trees and natural landscapes reported 25% fewer acts of domestic violence. Urban greening restores physical and mental health, as well as offsetting some of the carbon emissions in the local area that would otherwise contribute to climate change.

Environmental justice is not exclusive to Earth Day or the month of April; people should be raising awareness on issues like climate change and green inequity throughout the year. We only have one planet to live on, therefore it is incredibly important to take care of the Earth in every way possible. Learning more about these issues and how they affect people will help pave the way for future generations.

There is a broad discourse surrounding environmental issues in the world as a whole; however,  it is equally important to recognize and address the individualistic challenges that face smaller communities. Small regions face an array of different environmental issues, from air pollution to excess plastic waste. Some of these challenges take higher priority than others; however,  it is important for communities to set goals in furthering local environmental justice, both in legislation and on a personal scale. Urban green equity is a tangible goal for the Elmira community and there is currently a project in motion to further this pursuit. 

Green equity is essentially an initiative to protect biological diversity, while simultaneously creating more environmental opportunities for disadvantaged groups. Trees are the exemplary symbols for Earth Day because of their profound significance to the environment; however,  their importance also extends to social reform. Research has proven that trees reduce stress as well as chronic disease and children who live in green spaces exhibit excellent social and emotional skills. In fact, studies have shown that cities with community forests save an average of one life per year. This connection to health and well-being as well as environmental justice has spawned a unique collaboration between the Chemung County’s Environmental Management Council and an organization called the Tree Foundation. Their goal is to complete several tree redistribution projects this summer with the goal of achieving green equity in the Elmira region. 

According to city records, Elmira was once a vibrantly green area with a dense tree population. Unfortunately, weather conditions such as flooding, tornadoes, heavy winds, disease, and insects have taken a toll on the city. Particularly, urban areas and marginalized communities have been disproportionately affected by this deforestation. Daniel Kjar, the associate professor of biology at Elmira College, states “walking down a street with a substantial tree canopy such as Clinton or Euclid is always a refreshing experience and therefore it is unfortunate to think that there are areas of Elmira with almost no forestation.” The first step of this tree equity project is to collect data on the health and location of trees in various locations of the city. Over the next several weeks, Professor Kjar’s Field Biology class will conduct a survey to record the species type, location, diameter, and health of the different trees in Elmira. The Chemung County Environmental Management Council and the Tree Foundation will use Professor Kjar’s data to apply for grants with the intention of replacing trees to build new green spaces. The ultimate goal of this project is to ensure the city’s tree canopies are providing equal social and environmental opportunities to all community members, regardless of their residential locations. 

Tree equity has become an increasingly important cause to the Elmira community over the past few years. Elmira College has recently expanded its focus on environmental initiatives, announcing a new sustainability minor to be offered in November of 2021. Chemung County is home to many magnificent trees and green spaces, which will be an important legacy for the future of Elmira. It is important for community members to play an active role in addressing these environmental inequities so that we can keep Elmira a healthy location for future generations.