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Environmental Justice Movement Gains Momentum in Sacramento

Environmental Justice Movement Gains Momentum in Sacramento

A new study from the University of California Davis suggests that new forms of environmental justice organizing, from grassroots movements to government-led policies initiatives, are creating healthier and more equitable communities in the Sacramento region.

The AnalyseLocal Environment published an article explaining that, despite years of community organizing around social justice and racial issues, Sacramento was not on the state’s environmental justice map. California’s capital city recently began to build an integrated environmental justice movement.

Although it took a while for Sacramento’s environmental justice movement, it is now really taking off, according to Jonathan London, professor in human ecology and author the case study. Sacramento has a significant environmental justice story to share.

In Sacramento, a cyclist merges with the traffic. (Gregory Urquiaga UC Davis).

A growing network

London stated that there has been an increase in the number of organizations and coalitions who identify with the environmental justice movement over the past 15 year. These diverse groups have created a grassroots movement that has never been seen before.

London stated that what they’re doing is building a grassroots resident base that can, over time, push for change. It is possible to make transformative changes when there are a lot of people behind a movement.

London lists local groups, such as Sacramento ACT and United Latinos that identify with the environmental movement in the study. London stated that the groups have organized community events to involve residents in environmental and health concerns. London also mentions the Red Black and Green Environmental Justice Coalition that was formed in 2019. It focuses on the relationship between structural racism and transportation and air pollution, as well as illegal dumping in low income communities of color.

Sacramento has a powerful environmental justice story. – Jonathan London, UC Davis professor in human ecology

Research highlights state-led initiatives in environmental justice that have provided opportunities for community engagement. One example, SB 1000In 2016, the law was signed and required that an environmental justice component be developed for local general planning. London’s analysis shows that the County of Sacramento initiated a process of community engagement to expand outreach to often marginalized communities in order to implement SB 1000.

London stated that it was beneficial for state and local agencies to dedicate resources to environmental justice. However, London stressed that this must be combined with a vibrant movement for environmental justice to push the government and build a cohesive framework in order to address disparities within the communities.

London said that these coalitions can be combined with government allies to create a framework of environmental justice or racial justice. This combination can be extremely powerful. Everyone benefits from a more just society.

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