The Crossroads of Injustice

In honor of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, we dedicate this edition of GreenReads to shedding light on the ongoing problem of environmental racism in the United States.

Dr. King Said Segregation Harms Us All — Environmental Research Shows He Was Right

Both minorities and whites who live in racially divided communities are exposed to higher levels of pollution than those who live in more integrated areas. Source: New York Times (Approx. 5 minutes)

No Justice For Victims of Environmental Racism in Alabama

A civil rights case brought by residents of a small, overwhelmingly African American town in Alabama who have spent the past decade battling a toxic landfill, has been dismissed. Source: The Guardian (Approx. 7 minutes)

Massive Oil Drilling Site Planned Near Colorado Public School

Extraction Oil & Gas were originally awarded a permit to drill near a largely white, middle class neighborhood – but following pushback from residents, they moved their proposed drill site to a location near a school serving low income students of color. Source: Think Progress (Approx. 8 minutes)

Trump’s Trade Wars Will Crush Crucial Job Growth

Trump slapped tariffs on imported solar panels at a time when African Americans were seeing unique job growth in the industry. Experts predict the tariffs will cost 23,000 solar jobs. Source: City Lab (Approx. 9 minutes)

Prejudice Exists, Even Among Environmental Activist Communities

“White privilege and racism within the broader environmental movement is existent and pervasive,” says Aaron Mair, an environmental activist who served as president of the Sierra Club. Source: Grist (Approx. 12 minutes)

People of Color Face Disproportionate Environmental Harm

A new report from the EPA finds that people of color are much more likely to live near polluters and breathe polluted air — meanwhile, the agency seeks to dismantle regulations on pollution. Source: The Atlantic (Approx. 7 minutes)

GreenReads:

Your must-read guide to environmental issues, published by the SEAL Awards (an environmental advocacy organization that hosts environmental journalism awards and business sustainability awards).