Environmental Justice and Health- Building Healthy Communities
Faith Connections
“The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim the release of the captives and recovery of site to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of his favor.” -Luke 4:18
We are called throughout the Bible to actively heal social injustices and injustices for the land. The precautionary principle, a tenet of environmental justice, holds that God’s children and communities should be safe from harmful chemicals without waiting until evidence of a hazardous exposure has occurred. While chemical exposures are pervasive in our society, African American, Latino, Asian American, Native American, and low-income communities are even more vulnerable to exposure as the majority of toxic waste sites are based in these communities. It is no coincidence that higher rates of cancer, childhood asthma, and lead poisoning exist in communities of color and low-income communities. The United Church of Christ has found that race, even more than class, is a factor in the siting of toxic wate facilities.
Arctic communities are uniquely vulnerable due to how chemicals, such as PBTs, travel in air and water currents. Chemicals accumulate in the North and South Poles adding to the body burden of Arctic peoples and species. Climate change is contributing to an increase of the chemical body burdens in Arctic people as well. The Presbyterian Yupik community both suffers illnesses from these sources of exposures and additionally form contaminants left over from a Cold War military base that contaminated the water and land with polychlorinated biphenyls. Read more.
in addition to exposures in low-income communuties, communities of color and low-income communities in general may also face exposures to chemicals in products. Some products marketed specifically to communities of color contain harmful chemicals such as some hair relaxers, hair dyes, and skin lighteners. another concern is with products containing chemicals that are found to be unsafe yet haven't been regulated. These products may still end up in dollar stores, discount stores or second-hand shops.
Take Action
- Download a 2-page fact sheet on environmental justice and health which touches on different exposures and suggestions on what people and congregations can do.
- Learn about the environmental injustices in your area facing vulnerable populations. Contact people working for environmental justice in your town and see how you might be able to walk with them in a path for justice. See links to some of the groups before.
- Hold a bible study session on environmental racism with your church group. Download the NCC resource: Environmental Racism: An Ecumenical Study Guide.
- Learn more about links between climate change and health in the Arctic with our Lenten series on Climate Change.
For more information
- Read a letter from environmental justice groups across the country on the need for comprehensive chemicals policy refom.
- NCC Environmental Justice Page
- Report from NCC Clergy Listening Tour to New Orleans
- Your Health and Environment: A Christian Perspective
- Indigenous Environmental Network
- United Church of Christ
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics
- Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice
- Just Transition Alliance- California
- WEACT- NY
- People Organized in Defense of the Earth and her Resources (PODER)- Texas
- Communities for a Better Environment
- Environmental Justice and Health Union
- National Black Environmental Justice Network
- Environmental Justice Resource Center- Clark Atlanta University
- Southwest Economic and Environmental Justice Network
- Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Justice
Other Environmental Health Issues
- Air Quality
- Children’s and Women’s Health
- Cosmetics
- Environmental Justice and Health
- Flame Retardants
- Food and Health
- Lead
- Mercury
- Pesticides
- Plastics
- Toxic Chemicals