Image courtesy of Margot Richard
Written by Esme Hyatt
When discussing environmentalism, I think the general response is to focus on the planet. To me, however, it kindles thoughts around humans’ impact on the environment and the environment’s impact on humans.
I first got involved in environmentalism in 2019, when I was in middle school. What got me initially interested was not climate change’s effect on the environment, but its effect on humans. Seeing numerous articles detailing the overarching repercussions of climate change on human life made me realize how necessary it was for me and others to get involved.
Ultimately, all consequences of climate change influence human life. It’s the intersection of climate change and human health that I think is incredibly important. Fossil fuels not only lead to the warming of the planet, but are unsafe to the health of those who live near and work at polluting sites. The pollutants cause issues with clean water and air. This lends itself to current-day examples of environmental crises such as Cancer Valley; Flint, Michigan; and the recent Ohio train derailment.
Those who are affected are ultimately only trying to do their work and live their lives. Systemic factors such as environmental racism show that those who are affected are predominantly BIPOC, low-income communities. Furthermore, Native communities face an issue with oil and gas companies utilizing their sovereign land and causing detrimental effects on the communities’ health and safety. As a result, they face barriers to basic human needs such as access to clean water and air. Barriers have been enforced by large fossil fuel companies who insist on placing their factories in communities that are ill equipped to combat their injustices.
This being said, environmentalism means being aware of the importance of environmental justice. Social justice issues are woven into environmental issues such as environmental racism and the impacts of climate change. Climate change will disproportionately affect minority groups, and environmental racism reflects the intersection of racism and negative environmental effects. Through environmentalism, we should recognize how social justice issues are connected to how humans interact with the environment.
Being an environmentalist is caring. It means recognizing that environmental factors and drivers of climate change do not affect everyone equally. It means caring for the environment and the health of all human life.
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