Environmental Justice Team
There is no level playing field. Any time our society says that a powerful chemical company has the same right as a low income family that's living next door, that playing field is not level, is not fair.
—Robert D. Bullard, Father of the Environmental Justice movement
What is Environmental Justice?
To begin to understand what environmental justice is and why it exists, it is important to first understand what environmental racism is. Simply defined, it is the concept that people of color are exposed to a disproportionate amount of environmental hazards. This can have greater implications on these individuals health and quality of life, which are major injustices that no person deserves to face.
What is Environmental Racism?
Environmental racism can be defined as "institutional rules, regulations, policies or government and/or corporate decisions that deliberately target certain communities for locally undesirable land uses and lax enforcement of zoning and environmental laws, resulting in communities being disproportionately exposed to toxic and hazardous waste based upon race." This definition is a bit lengthy, but it does a good job encompassing how environmental racism is practiced.
So then what is Environmental Justice?
Environmental Justice is the movement in response to environmental racism. It exists to promote environmental, economic and social justice by recognizing the direct link between economic, environmental and health issues and demanding a safe, clean community and workplace environment” (GreenAction).
Who are we?
We are a team of 5 students, 1 student leader and 1 instructor joined with a shared passion for social justice and the environment together on a week of serving with communities in Iowa City, West Liberty, and Cedar Falls, Iowa. We partnered with 6 organizations during the Spring 2022 semester throughout these regions, and learned about various different aspects of service, leadership, and community through these experiences. Explore our website to learn more about our team, our mission, and our values!