Environmental Justice & EcoFeminist Issues South Florida
A zine by barbara perez 2021
This zine was created for a class on Feminist Theory & Praxis (WST 6564) in Florida Atlantic University’s Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies All content was written and put together by Barbara Perez. Research sources have been credited in-text, and a references page can be found at the end of this document. Photos have been credited beneath each image (where possible). Thank you. November 2021
My name is Barbara Perez. I am a Ph.D. student at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in the Department of Comparative Literary Studies. I also teach classes for the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department here. I decided to create a zine on environmental justice (EJ) for my Feminist Theory and Praxis course (WST 6564) taught by Professor Hinshaw. This is my second zine. I decided to create a zine, rather than write a research paper, because even though I love theory, I find that it is sometimes unnecessarily opaque and inaccessible. EJ—at its core—is about involving everyone in theorizing about the environment, in activism, and in policymaking and implementation. This is a really powerful concept, and so I decided a zine would be a fitting project that could incorporate elements of storytelling, art, and activism within its pages to invite you into the EJ movement. If you’ve never heard of the term environmental justice, don’t worry! I hope within the pages to come that you can gain a better understanding of what it is both on a general and local level here in South Florida (SoFLo). I also tried to include the ways in which COVID19 has impacted both local issues and resistance. As you read, I encourage you to think about your own experiences and knowledge related to these issues. Your position in the world matters and reflecting on it can help you connect the dots and better understand how the systems around us work. Thank you for reading!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
• Showcasing Local Resistance (pgs. 23-24)
• What is Environmental Justice? (pgs. 5-6)
• How to Get Involved (pgs. 25-26)
• A Brief History of Environmental Justice in the US & What is
• Resistance Journaling: What does Resistance Look Like to
• Learn the Differences: Mainstream Environmentalism vs.
• EJ x Feminism (pgs. 29-30)
Environmental Racism? (pgs. 7-8) Environmental Justice (pgs. 9-10)
• Resistance Journaling: Is Environmental Health a Human Right? (pgs. 11-12)
• Local Issues: What SoFlo Areas are Impacted? (pgs. 13-14)
You? (pgs. 27-28)
• Recommended Resources (pg. 31) • Glossary (pg. 32) • References
• Impacts on Public Health: Breathing Disparities in SoFlo (pgs. 15-16)
• Local Solutions: Transportation Justice (pgs. 17-18) • Local Issues: COVID’s Effects (pgs. 19-20)
• Local Organization Spotlight (pgs. 21-22)
Image By: Pablo Martinez, 2019
“
In other words… Environmental justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people
We all have the right to live in an environment that is safe and healthy!
regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. This goal will be achieved when everyone enjoys… 1. The same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards
THIS Image By: Dre Urhan, 2017
2. Equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to
live, learn, and work
” (US Environmental Protection Agency)
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Is your environment only what’s outside AKA the “Great Outdoors”? No! Your environment includes everything around you. That means all of the places you spend the most time: where you live, work, go to school. This includes not just the great outdoors but also urban areas and everything in-between!
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1982: Warren County Protests
1987: Toxic Wastes & Race in the US Report finds evidence of environmental racism
The exact start of the Environmental Justice Movement in the US is unclear—the need for environmental justice was certainly discussed during the Civil
Rights Movement. Historians consider the sit-in and
protest in 1982 in Warren County, North Carolina (NC) the official start of the movement…
In 1978, the Ward Transformer Company began dumping toxic waste illegally along the shoulders of NC roads. The oil was laced with hazardous
chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
which are known to cause birth defects, liver problems, and cancer. They contaminated 240 miles of highway—approximately the distance between San Diego and Las Vegas. The state government conducted a cleanup, and decided to put the hazardous waste in a dump in Warren County, which was was a
small, low-income, and predominately African-American community in North Carolina. They attempted to justify their decision by arguing that Warren County had a low GDP, which only proved they were discriminating against a low income community. The community organized a resistance against the state.
including the NAACP mounted a lawsuit against the Organizations state and were able to delay the project for a few years. However, in 1982 the state began to build the dump. Protests culminated with a six-week-long sit-in, and over 500 arrests (even though the protesters had been peaceful). Though the protests, unfortunately, did not stop the construction of the hazardous waste dump, they did lead to the election of Black officials to state government, and sparked the EJ movement nationwide. 6
Sources: EPA, GreenAction
1990: EPA commission of Environmental Equity was established 1994: Executive Order 1298 was signed by President Clinton to address EJ in the US
1988: The first EJ organization was formed: WEACT in NY READ MORE HERE 1991: Delegates to the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in DC Drafted 17 Principles of Environmental Justice READ MORE HERE
You can read more about the history of the Environmental Justice Movement at the EPA website HERE
The Toxic Wastes and Race report found that 3/5 African-Americans and Latinx lived in a community housing toxic waste (1987). This was evidence of environmental racism: People of Color are not afforded equal rights when it comes to living in a safe and healthy environment. 7
MAINSTREAM ENVIRONMENTALISM
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE • •
• •
• • •
Social movement positing that neither people NOR the planet are disposable—and they are interconnected. So, the wellbeing of one affects the wellbeing of the other Takes a more holistic approach to the environment by stressing that the places people spend the most time such as their homes, work, school, parks, and churches must safe and healthy environments Focuses on seeking environmental restoration and justice for environmentally marginalized groups Focuses on centering the needs of marginalized communities Focuses on community-based organizing rather than just individual action Pushes us to hold corporations and governments accountable rather than just focusing on individual responsibility Focuses on making environmental information and educational resources public—all people’s voices should be heard, and space needs to be made for marginalized people to participate in every aspect of policy
•
• • •
Social movement focused on the welfare of the environment Has problematic racist origins, and has historically excluded people of color: READ MORE HERE Focuses on protecting the natural world or “great outdoors,” and its protection and conservation Focuses on individual action rather than necessarily holding corporations and the government accountable for environmental destruction
Wildlife conservation, ending deforestation, and fighting climate change are important issues that we need to address within our society—but not at the expense of taking away land from indigenous people, excluding people of color from policy making, or places the majority of environmental hazards and burdens on communities of color. Image By: Priscila Barbosa
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Think about everything that is a part of your environment— from the water you drink, to the air you breathe. Think about all the places you spend the most time in. Are these places clean and safe?
How do you think being exposed to an environmental hazard in a place we spend a lot of time in affects us?
Do you think having a healthy and safe environment is a human right everyone should be afforded? Why or why not?
Draw, paint, or take a photo of one of your environments that you spend a lot of time in.
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How are these some of these areas impacted? Climate Gentrification & Forced Displacement:
What areas in South Florida are impacted by environmental injustices? In SoFlo, like the rest of the US, low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards and burdens. Some of these communities include (but are not limited to) Belle Glades, Pahokee, Opalocka, Allapattah, South Bay, Liberty City, Little Haiti, Little Havana, Florida City, and Overtown.
As sea-water levels rise because of the melting ice caps due to global warming, Florida is simultaneously sinking due to land subsidence. Thus, coastal areas as quickly becoming eroded and flooded. When “desirable” coastal real-estate starts to flood, businesses push inland, causing gentrification of low-income communities that are often situated inland at the margins of coastal areas. This is currently happening in Little Haiti (click to read here). Low-income residents, which are also often immigrant communities and people of color, are forced to relocate as their communities become “desirable” real-estate. They are forcibly displaced from their homes, neighbors, and communities that they have cultural ties to. Air Pollution: Denser communities and poorer communities often have higher emissions due to industry encroachment. Companies sugarcoat this idea by saying that industries will create new jobs and stimulate the economy. However, research shows that communities of color receiving a larger share of the pollution than of the available jobs in urban areas. For example, a study found that Black communities, on average, received 17.4 percent of the exposure, compared to just 10.8 percent of the jobs (Ash & Boyce, 2001). Furthermore, industry can release hazardous air pollutants including carcinogenic chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, and acenaphthylene.
Research shows that communities of color are exposed to more pollution than they produce. (Tessum et al, 2019)
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Belle Glade, Palm Beach County, FL •
• Environmental injustices have very real consequences on the communities that are burdened by them.
•
In Louisiana, for example, there's an 85-mile strip of land known as Cancer Alley which contains a concentrated cluster of factories. Research found that in the communities surrounding these plants (which are predominantly Black), the risk of cancer is 700 times above that of the national average (EPA).
•
The simple act of breathing is a challenge for residents of the Glades, a small rural community in Palm Beach County due to seasonal burning of sugarcane by private owned company US Sugar Corporation A Sierra Club analysis of EPA data estimates that the practice releases over 3,000 tons of hazardous air pollutants in the region every year, including carcinogenic chemicals Many other states and countries are working to phase out burning in favor of mechanical harvesting processes because of the negative health impacts Belle Glade is 60% Black, and is the poorest city in Florida. Many have argued that this is an example of environmental racism in Florida
In South Florida, one of the issues affecting low-income communities and communities of color is poor air-quality. Research has shown that elevated levels of particulate matter pollution are linked to a wide range of adverse health impacts including asthma, pulmonary disease, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and even premature death (EPA).
COVID 19: Research also shows that people who live in places with high levels of air pollution are more likely to die from COVID than people who reside in areas with cleaner air (Wu, et al, 2020). Unfortunately, people living in highly concentrated low-income communities are also more susceptible to the disease.
Image By: Black smoke from burning sugarcane near the Glades, Florida; Patrick Ferguson, Sierra Club
THIS interactive map can help you determine how much air pollution affects your local community.
READ MORE HERE 15
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LOCAL SOLUTIONS People in low-income communities in South Florida need to use public transit, but transit doesn’t serve them the way it should!
What is it? Transportation justice means everyone has access to an equitable transportation system that provides users safe, reliable, and affordable modes of transportation including public transit, walking, and biking options.
90% of Florida’s population cannot get to work by using public transit. Cars are a big contributor to emissions in these communities. Better public transit would alleviate the need to have a car, and also lower emissions in highly concentrated low-income communities.
Each bus has the potential to take as many as 55 cars off the road, reducing congestion, preventing accidents, saving fuel, and significantly cutting emissions. Several public transportation measures were introduced in 2020, but not all of them passed. This year, Hillsborough County’s “All for Transportation” tax was struck down by Florida’s Supreme Court. Stay alert of upcoming measures affecting public transit and other EJ issues in your county!
STAY UPDATED HERE 17
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• Finally, many small and predominantly family-owned businesses are at risk of closing down with many non-essential workplaces closed due to the crisis. This can have negative future environmental justice related impacts: if larger businesses more in, communities will not only become more gentrified, but businesses will raise emissions in these communities as well.
The COVID19 Crisis is impacting the entire world and almost every aspect of our lives in some way… It has real implications when it comes to environmental justice too:
• Staying at home can have negative health effects on those who
•
HOW DO WE ORGANIZE DURING COVID19?
live in crowded, poorly ventilated low-income housing which may expose them to more health hazards. Due to dangerously rising temperatures in SoFlo, people have needed to stay indoors. As a result, energy bills have increased. However, because of loss of employment, people have been struggling to pay these bills.
By forcing us to go virtual, COVID19 has made us more accessible to some, but less to others such as people with low tech literacy or no access to tech. Many activists have had to get used to working online and remotely. Unfortunately, this means they can’t be out in the community providing direct services. Take this time to restrategize, analyze data, write reports, apply for funding, and strengthen social media.
Image By: Matt Rourke
READ MORE HERE • People living in highly concentrated housing or communities are • 19
more at risk to contract COVID19. Unfortunately, this same population is more likely to suffer from asthma of other breathing related illnesses which makes them more vulnerable to complications if they do contract it.
Image By: @yfoes
Everyone has extra stress at this time, so now is a good time for activists who are feeling burnt-out to take care of themselves and recharge if needed. 20
ORGANIZATION SPOTLIGHT I spoke with Natalia Brown, the Climate Justice Program Manager at Catalyst Miami (CM), an organization that aims to provide support to low-wealth communities in Miami-Dade County to address economic justice issues facing these communities. As Miami, “the Sinking City,” has been identified as ground zero for climate change in the US, CM aims to provide support to communities that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and gentrification in Miami—all of which contribute to the economic inequities facing these communities. For more information about Catalyst Miami, visit https://www.catalystmiami.org/about_us Catalyst Miami’s vision of EJ for Miami and SoFlo: The communities that are most often vulnerable to and burdened by environmental injustices are low-wealth communities where many of the residents are immigrants and people of color. In particular, Black communities in Miami are burdened by environmental injustices that have resulted from historic disinvestment and legacies of injustices and oppression. CM, together with the residents of the communities it serves, has identified various issues it aims to bring attention to and address by recognizing historic harm, creating transformative opportunities for grassroots activism, policy advocacy, and offering networks of support to vulnerable communities. Among these issues are: ensuring residents have access to clean water, safe and affordable housing, electricity, have their basic needs met, and are able to live healthier lives that they can have more control over.
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EJ Issues Affecting Miami: There are two urgent and related EJ issues impacting these communities that CM wanted to highlight:
(1) Heat levels in Miami-Dade are increasing to dangerous levels
because of global warming. This especially affects low-wage outdoors workers in South-Dade, but also affects urban communities with little to no outdoor areas. As the heat (and COVID19) has forced more people to remain indoors, there has been a surge in electric bills some cannot afford to pay. CM has been providing financial assistance when possible so people do not have their power cut off. (2) Sea levels have been steadily rising, also because of global warming and climate change, causing flooding. Flooding is a material effect of climate change that has impaced all vulnerable communities in Miami. Another issue brought on by climate change is climate gentrification as residents of low-wealth inland communities are being forcibly displaced as their homes become desirable real estate. Ongoing Climate Justice Program Projects: CM is involved in policy advocacy campaigns and has other ongoing projects to address EJ issues in Miami. They also provide grassroots leadership and organizing training programs that empower residents to, and train them how to advocate for themselves and their communities. Their CLEAR program is aimed at addressing climate injustices, HEAL is aimed at advocating for affordable housing, and WHITE is aimed at addressing health inequities. The programs are 9 weeks long, are accessible, and tailored to the participants’ specific communities. CM also provides grant funds through their fellowship program to encourage residents to start their own community projects and offers other support to facilitate community projects organizing.
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Click on the image numbers for links to the stories!
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6 3 Images By: (1) Miami Herald; (2) Yale Environment 360; (3) Miami New Times; (4) Catalyst Miami; (5) CF Climate Action; (6) EarthJustice; (7) CLEO Institute
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1. Attend an organization event: There are events year-round. Go to an event, then meet and greet some of the speakers in the organization. Jorge says that you can’t just learn about an organization/issue online because a lot of orgs don’t have the time to thoroughly present issues online since most of them are fighting on the front lines.
For those living in impacted neighborhoods: Attend local planning meetings to start to learn about common issues— advocate for yourself! Become an active member of organizations by going to events. Work towards having a role on the Community Action Team in communities what organize activist work. Apply for grants or fellowships (such as the CM Neighbors to Leaders Fellowship) to start a project in your community.
2. Keep Going! If you find you are still interested enough in the issues after going to a few events, then take the next step. If not, don’t feel guilty! Maybe that org is not the right organization for you. 3. Invest what you can: If you are really interested in an issue, try to donate what you can (even if it is as small as a few dollars contribution a month) to support your local organizations. 4. Volunteer: If you are really interested in an organization or issue, then volunteer. Internships can be more difficult to get because many social justice organizations are running with short margin of profit. The best way to show you are interested in supporting an organization is through volunteering. Plus, volunteers are rewarded through free training summits that will help you gain crucial skills in non-profit work. 5. Internship: After people in the organization know you and know that you are a good fit with the culture of the org, it will be much easier to get an internship. Many social justice orgs will pay their interns, so look for a paid one if possible! 6. Attend Leadership Training Workshops: Such as those
offered by Catalyst Miami: https://www.catalystmiami.org/policy_advocacy
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Image By: @ehcsandiego
LEARN MORE HERE about the Catalyst Miami Neighbors to Leaders Fellowship. LEARN MORE HERE about the paid Policy Initiatives Fellowship for EJ. Also look for internships/fellowships through FAU, ACLU, Catalyst Miami, Miami Climate Alliance, EJ League SoFlo, Climate Justice Alliance, and EarthJustice. 26
Think about what you have learned about environmental justice and community resistance in this zine. What is the first step you can take to continue to educate yourself or get involved with/support this cause?
What does resistance look like to you?
Draw, paint, or take a photo of one what you think resistance looks like.
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EJ X FEMINISM Why is environmental justice a feminist issue, & why is feminism an environmental justice issue?
“Women are at once the most adversely and disproportionally impacted by climate change and environmental injustice, and yet are indispensable leaders of just, effective and lasting solutions. They are responsible for more than half of the world’s food production, are responsible for 80 percent of all consumer purchases in the United States alone and currently comprise about 80 percent of global climate refugees. As such, their intimate experiences and stories make them the most powerful untapped resource for building effective and just solutions to climate change, both in local communities and at the international level” (Merino, 2017)
Poverty is feminized across the globe because of this womxn, are among one of groups that are most impacted by the effects of environmental hazards and injustices. This is also true for other marginalized groups of people such as people of color, disabled, trans, and intersex people, etc. around the world (DeJusticia, 2018). Image By: FRIDA Fund
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OTHER RESOURCES • Catalyst Miami
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EJ Series
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Miami Climate Alliance
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FRIDA Fund - How Do Feminism and Climate Activism Connect? Video About Environmental Justice
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Teen Vogue: 4 Activists Explain Why Climate Activism Needs Feminism
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Harvard Study Links COVID19 to Air Pollution Exposure
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First EJ Organization: WeAct
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Green Action: Environmental Justice & Environmental Racism
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DeJusticia: Feminism & Environmentalism
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Climate Accountability Institute: Carbon Majors
Instagram: @CatalystMiami; @MiamiClimateAlliance; @Prii_Barbosa; @queerbrownvegan
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GLOSSARY These terms are related to the EJ Movement, and you may encounter them in this zine or elsewhere: • Activism: action with the goal of bringing about social/political change • Climate Refugee: An person who is displaced by climate change due to famine, natural disasters, rising sea-levels, etc. • Economic Justice: The idea that the economy will be more successful if it is fairer. There should be a universal basic income, and income equality regardless of identities. • Environmentalism: pg. 9 • Environmental Justice (EJ): pg. 4 • Environmental Racism: pg. 7 • EPA: Environmental Protection Agency of the US government. • Executive Order 12898: Signed by President Clinton. Took Federal action to address environmental injustices in communities of color and low-income communities. • Feminism: The advocacy of women’s rights based on the equality of the sexes (and all people). • Frontline Community/EJ Community: Communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices. Tend to be communities of color and/or low-income communities. • Greenhouse Gas Emissions/Climate Change: CLICK HERE • Just Transition: A transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy resources in a way that is just to vulnerable communities. • Robert Bullard, Ph.D: A Professor at Texas Southern University credited as being the “father” of Environmental Justice. MORE HERE • Social Justice: Justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. • Toxic Wastes & Race: pg. 7 • Transportation Justice: pg. 16 • Warren Sit-In: pg. 6 • WeAct: The first official EJ organization in the US, started in 1988. It is located in New York.
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REFERENCES Ash, M., & Boyce, J. K. (2018). Racial disparities in pollution exposure and employment at US industrial facilities. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(42), 10636 LP – 10641. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1721640115 (UC) Berkeley Earth. (2014). Know the Facts: A Skeptic’s Guide to Climate Change. Accessed here: https://static.berkeleyearth.org/pdf/skeptics-guide-to-climatechange.pdf Brown, E., et al. (2014). Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. California Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed here: https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/riskassessment/report/2014legreport.pdf Brulle, R. J., & Pellow, D. N. (2006). Environmental justice: human health and environmental inequalities. Annual Review of Public Health , 27, 103-124. Bullard, R., Mohai, P., Saha, R., & Wright, B. (2008). TOXIC WASTES AND RACE AT TWENTY: WHY RACE STILL MATTERS AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS. Environmental Law, 38(2), 371-411. Retrieved May 8, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/43267204 California Environmental Justice Alliance. (2015). 2015-2018 Strategic Plan: Powering Up Healthy Hoods Throughout California. Accessed here: https://caleja.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/07/CEJA_strategicplan_9.pdf Commission for Racial Justice. (1987). Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States. United Church of Christ. Accessed here: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1310/ML13109A339.pdf Dankelman, I. (2002). Climate change: Learning from gender analysis and women's experiences of organising for sustainable development. Gender & Development, 10(2), 21-29. Environmental Protection Agency. (2013). Environmental Justice. US Government. Accessed here: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice
Goldenberg, S. (2013). Just 90 companies caused two-thirds of man-made global warming emissions. The Guardian. Accessed here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/20/90-companies-manmade-global-warming-emissions-climate-change Lippi, A. (2019). Two fights in one: feminism and environmentalism. DeJusticia. Accessed here: https://www.dejusticia.org/en/column/two-fights-in-one-feminism-andenvironmentalism/ Merino, J. (2017). Women Speak: Bringing Gender to the Forefront in Environmental Justice. Ms. Magazine. Accessed here: https://msmagazine.com/2017/11/01/welcoming-the-launch-of-women-speak/ Neimark, B., et al. (2019). U.S. Military Produces More Greenhouse Gas Emissions than up to 140 Countries . Newsweek. Accessed here: https://www.newsweek.com/usmilitary-greenhouse-gases-140-countries-1445674 Pailthorpe, B. (2020). On Earth Day, activists call for environmental justice in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. KNKX. Accessed here: https://www.knkx.org/post/earth-day-activists-call-environmental-justice-facecoronavirus-pandemic Peters, J. M., Avol, E., Gauderman, W. J., Linn, W. S., Navidi, W., London, S. J., ... & Thomas, D. C. (1999). A study of twelve Southern California communities with differing levels and types of air pollution: II. Effects on pulmonary function. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine , 159( 3), 768-775.
Plumer, B. (2018). You’ve Heard of Outsourced Jobs, But Outsourced Pollution? New York Times. Accessed here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/climate/outsourcing-carbonemissions.html Purdy, J. (2015). Environmentalism’s Racist History. New Yorker. Accessed here: https://newyorker.com/news/news-desk/environmentalisms-racist-history Tessum, C. W., Apte, J. S., Goodkind, A. L., Muller, N. Z., Mullins, K. A., Paolella, D. A., … Hill, J. D. (2019). Inequity in consumption of goods and services adds to racial– ethnic disparities in air pollution exposure. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(13), 6001 LP – 6006. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1818859116
