Peace with Justice
- Details
- Category: UCC Highlights
- Written by Ginnie Ferell
PEACE WITH JUSTICE: ZEROING in on the ISSUES
Environment (Integrity of Creation) Issues:
Environmental racism can be defined as the racial discrimination in environmental policy making and the enforcement of regulations and laws: the deliberate placement of toxic and hazardous waste facilities in communities where most residents are people of color; the official sanctioning of the life-threatening presence of poisons and pollutants in our communities; and the history of excluding people of color from the leadership of the environmental movement (from The Historical Significance and Challenges of the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, Benjamin Chavis).
The environmental justice movement seeks to combat, and bring an end to, environmental racism. The environmental justice movement defines “environment” as the place where we live, work, play, and relax. The movement sees the ecosystem as the base for human life and well being; it is made up of the interrelation of the natural, social, cultural, and spiritual spheres.
Environmental Justice Issues include:
- Biodiversity
- Climate Change
- Environmental Racism
- Consumerism
- Energy Generation
- Food & Farming
- Green Buildings
- Green Jobs
- Health
- Transportation
- Water & Air
- Mountain Top Removal
- Gulf Coast Response
- Disaster Ministries
- Tar Sands/Keystone XL Pipeline
Visit the UCC JUSTICE AND WITNESS MINISTRIES website (www.ucc.org/jwm) for detailed suggestions on “What Can I Do?” about environmental justice. Here you will find suggestions for:
- Developing a Sustainable Faith
- Developing a Sustainable Community
- Sustaining God’s Creation for the Next Generation