{"id":3775,"date":"2018-03-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-03-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www-prod.greenpeace.org\/usa\/campaign-updates\/3775\/why-race-matters-when-we-talk-about-the-environment\/"},"modified":"2024-11-20T18:35:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T18:35:02","slug":"why-race-matters-when-we-talk-about-the-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/usa\/why-race-matters-when-we-talk-about-the-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Race Matters When We Talk About the Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"

An interview with Dr. Robert Bullard<\/span>
When the father of environmental justice speaks, we listen. That\u2019s why I interviewed Dr. Robert Bullard to hear why race is always the most significant factor behind injustice of any kind, and who he sees as the new leaders pushing equality to the forefront of the environmental movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

BULLARD
Dr. Robert Bullard \u2014 scholar, activist, and the father of environmental justice. \u00a9Robert Bullard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Within the mainstream green movement, there is an important distinction between protecting the environment and attaining equal access to healthy air, water,\u00a0and land. While communities in both camps often dovetail \u2014 sharing similar goals and outcomes \u2014 the effects of institutionalized racism and access have forced people of color and marginalized communities to approach environmental advocacy in vastly different ways. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the 1980\u2019s a new wave of activism began to take shape to address the systemic problem of an environmental movement that, whether consciously or not, had separated the desire to protect the planet from deeply ingrained race and class issues so often exploited by weak environmental protections. Grassroots organizers, taking the cue from the hard-won tactics of the civil rights era, started the environmental justice movement to bridge this divide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, these activists have had to fight not only against toxic pollution dumps or the demolition of their neighborhoods for oil refineries \u2014but in many ways, they’ve had to continually reinforce how race is deeply intertwined in these problems and can no longer exist as mutually exclusive efforts. Racism permeates every aspect of society from housing to education; from criminal justice to, of course, the environment. And while many successes and strides have been achieved, there is still much to be done \u2014 and learned \u2014 as we fight for the protection of the environment for <\/span>all<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

We wanted to unpack some of these issues and who better to help us than Dr. Robert Bullard: the father of environmental justice. As an activist, scholar, and one of the leading crusaders for environmental equality, Dr. Bullard has a thing or two to say about where we\u2019re at as a society, how to be an activist in a complex world, and what\u2019s needed now in the fight for true environmental justice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lauren Reid: In your view, why does race matter when we talk about the environment?<\/b><\/p>\n

Robert Bullard:<\/b> I think it matters when we deal with the environment because the environment impacts everything\u2014 where we <\/span>live<\/span><\/i>, where we <\/span>work<\/span><\/i>, where we <\/span>play<\/span><\/i>, where we <\/span>learn<\/span><\/i> and where we <\/span>worship<\/span><\/i>. When certain populations are somehow provided less protection from say pollution, it\u2019s because of race. Or at different times when locally unwanted land use is targeted for different reasons, like refineries and pipelines, it\u2019s because of race and this becomes an issue around justice. Protection should not be distributed because of the color of your skin. Everyone deserves a clean, healthy, sustainable and livable environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why race matters.<\/span><\/p>\n

LR: What do you see as the biggest threat(s) to true environmental justice and equality in the U.S. today?<\/b><\/p>\n

RB:<\/b> I think the biggest hurdle we face is to convince policy and decision makers that everyone has a right to live in an environment where laws are applied equally across the board. Look, our society isn\u2019t equal and the people with power or money get more protection \u2014 the majority of our population doesn\u2019t live near chemical plants or on the fence line of these dangerous places, so people don\u2019t often believe it when our communities point it out. We\u2019re trying to convince people that environmental justice and racism is real and they don\u2019t realize that until they see if for themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a kind of denial and disbelief in it \u2014 There are still people who think you can see all races in the same way when we talk about the environment, but it\u2019s simply not the case. Some communities have the wrong complexion for protection, and that\u2019s not just a bumper sticker.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Textbook case of #environmentalracism<\/a>: In 46 States, People Of Color Deal With More Air Pollution Than White People Do, Study Finds https:\/\/t.co\/1NZ97cE7Vk<\/a><\/p>\n

— Robert D. Bullard (@DrBobBullard) February 28, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n