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2.  Environmental justice demands that public policy be based on mutual respect and justice for all peoples, free from any form of discrimination or bias.  
2.  Environmental justice demands that public policy be based on mutual respect and justice for all peoples, free from any form of discrimination or bias.  


3.  Environmental justice mandates the right to ethical, balanced and responsible uses of land and renewable resources in the interest of a sustainable planet for humans and other living things. <br>
3.  Environmental justice mandates the right to ethical, balanced and responsible uses of land and renewable resources in the interest of a sustainable planet for humans and other living things.  
<br>
[[Principles of Environmental Justice|View Full List of Principles]]
[[Principles of Environmental Justice|View Full List of Principles]]
4.  Environmental justice calls for universal protection from nuclear 
testing, extraction, production and disposal of toxic/hazardous wastes and poisons and nuclear testing that threaten the fundamental right to clean air, land, water, and food.
5.  Environmental justice affirms the fundamental right to political, economic, cultural and environmental self-determination of all peoples.
6.  Environmental justice demands the cessation of the production of all toxins, hazardous wastes, and radioactive materials, and that all past and current producers be held strictly accountable to the people for detoxification and the containment at the point of production.
7.  Environmental justice demands the right to participate as equal partners at every level of decision-making including needs assessment, planning, implementation, enforcement and evaluation.
8.  Environmental justice affirms the right of all workers to a safe and healthy work environment, without being forced to choose between an unsafe livelihood and unemployment. It also affirms the right of those who work at home to be free from environmental hazards.
9.  Environmental justice protects the right of victims of environmental  injustice to receive full compensation and reparations for damages as well as quality health care.
10. Environmental justice considers governmental acts of environmental injustice a violation of international law, the Universal Declaration On Human Rights, and the United Nations Convention on Genocide.
11. Environmental justice must recognize a special legal and natural relationship of Native Peoples to the U.S. government through treaties, agreements, compacts, and covenants affirming sovereignty and self-determination.
12. Environmental justice affirms the need for urban and rural ecological policies to clean up and rebuild our cities and rural areas in balance with nature, honoring the cultural integrity of all our communities, and providing fair access for all to the full range of resources.
13. Environmental justice calls for the strict enforcement of principles of informed consent, and a halt to the testing of experimental reproductive and medical procedures and vaccinations on people of color.
14. Environmental justice opposes the destructive operations of multi-national corporations.
15. Environmental justice opposes military occupation, repression and exploitation of lands, peoples and cultures, and other life forms.
16. Environmental justice calls for the education of present and future generations which emphasizes social and environmental issues, based on our experience and an appreciation of our diverse cultural perspectives.
17. Environmental justice requires that we, as individuals, make personal and consumer choices to consume as little of Mother Earth’s resources and to produce as little waste as possible; and make the conscious decision to challenge and reprioritize our lifestyles to insure the health of the natural world for present and future generations.
[[http://www.geology.wisc.edu/~wang/EJBaldwin/PCR/pcrwhatispcrEJhistory1.htm]]

Revision as of 06:51, 10 May 2006

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Description

Definition

Environmental Justice is a term used to describe injustices done to the environment and the way natural resources are used. The Environmental Justice Movement began in the 1980s and includes many groups which aim at dismantling the power structures in the United States which have traditionally discouraged any attempts at reform.

According to the Department of Energy, "Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people—regardless of race, ethnicity, income or education level—in environmental decision making. Environmental Justice programs promote the protection of human health and the environment, empowerment via public participation, and the dissemination of relevant information to inform and educate affected communities". [[1]]

Environmental justice deals with both race and class. Environmental racism is the placement of landfills, waste sites, incinerators, and highly polluting corporate plants in minority communities such as blacks, Native Americans, Asians, Hispanics etc.[2] It is based on the vulnerability of the weaker races due to their lack of political and economic power. Many minorities already face other forms of racism that limit their ability to move upward in social status. Many communities are impoverished and do not have the resources needed to achieve a better quality of live. This lack of resources limits their ability to affect policy and influence their surrounding environment. They are bound by the "glass ceiling" that unfairly prohibits adavancement.

Enviornmental racism is just one component of the issues facing minorities. They must deal with "discriminatory housing and land use practices, residential segregation, inadequate transportaiont, limited employment and educational opporutnities, political disenfranchisment, and access to information and medical care."[2] There are a number of organizations that are seeking environmental equity. They look to raise awareness of the injustice and promote a strong unity amongst minorities to fight for better living conditions.

Principles of Environmental Justice

The following Principles of Environmental Justice were adopted at the People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, which took place at Washington, D.C., in October of 1991:

1. Environmental justice affirms the sacredness of Mother Earth, ecological unity and the interdependence of all species, and the right to be free from ecological destruction.

2. Environmental justice demands that public policy be based on mutual respect and justice for all peoples, free from any form of discrimination or bias.

3. Environmental justice mandates the right to ethical, balanced and responsible uses of land and renewable resources in the interest of a sustainable planet for humans and other living things. View Full List of Principles

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