Environmental Justice
The EPA defines Environmental Justice as the "fair treatment for people of all races, cultures, and incomes, regarding the development of environmental laws, regulations, and policies."
It is sometimes thought that environmentalism is an elitist movement, for those who have money and leisure, and who can afford to worry about maintaining open spaces for recreation, and preserving economically valueless species as a matter of principle. It is said that from the point of view of the poor, providing jobs and a good standard of living should have higher priority than a clean environment, which is a luxury that comes after other needs are met.
However, others believe that the environmental consequences of our use of natural resources fall disproportionately on certain disadvantaged racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. For instance, a good case could be made that hazardous waste sites are usually located in disadvantaged communities, and in disadvantaged nations, and that the people in these locations bear the consequences of our use of hazardous materials, without reaping the benefits proportionately. The environmental justice movement is concerned with such issues.
The Environmental Justice Information Page, developed for a class on ecological issues at the University of Michigan, is an excellent source of information, with many links to original sources. See their page on What is Environmental Justice? for a good overview.
The EPA's Environmental Justice Homepage includes definitions, a page on Environmental Justice Laws and Regulations in the U.S., and much information on projects and programs with respect to environmental justice.
The Indigenous Environmental Network is Much of the emphasis in this website is on North American issues, but there is also some discussion of South America and other regions, and some links to indigenous groups with environmental concerns worldwide.
The Ecojustice Network has information on a number of specific issues, and links to many groups concerned with environmental justice in the People of Color Environmental Groups Directory.
Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice has a page with links to information on specific local issues, such as air pollution and pesticide use around schools.
The Alliance for Justice is an association of many groups concerned with environmental justice and related issues. They have quite a bit of information on environmental activism, and on legal aspects of environmental justice.
Native Americans and the Environment contains many links on environmental justice with particular reference to Native Americans.
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Comments, Questions, or Suggestions? Email: J.R. Thorngren
(but I can't do calculations for you...or do your homework)
06/07/06
The grizzly bear is the state animal of California, and is the bear on the California flag. There are no grizzly bears in the wild in California today. The last one in the state was killed in 1922, or possibly in 1924.